Florida Power & Light begins installations in one-million-panel solar expansion
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) began installing this week the first solar panels of its solar
expansion, which will comprise three new solar plants and approximately one million solar panels.
The installations began at the future FPL Blue Cypress Solar Energy Center in Indian River County along
the Treasure Coast. FPL is also building three solar facilities in the Treasure Coast area. Two will be located in Indian River County and one will be located in St. Lucie County. FPL expects the plants to enter service
early next year.
The company plans to construct a total of eight new solar power plants by early 2018, which will use approximately 2.5 million solar panels and have nearly 600 megawatts of capacity.
“Today is another important milestone in our unprecedented solar expansion, as we continue to layout the blueprint for delivering clean energy and outstanding service while keeping energy bills among the lowest in the nation,” FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy said. “Installing the first of 1 million new solar panels for our Treasure Coast customers is just the beginning of our mission to fast track the benefits of solar energy to more Floridians quicker and more affordably than ever before.”
FPL expects the eight sites to require a construction workforce of approximately 1500 during peak activity this summer and result in net savings for its customers.
“FPL continues to rethink the way we view energy in Florida,” Senate President Joe Negron said. “The company’s cost-effective solar expansion not only brings the benefits of clean solar energy to everyone, it also acts as a major economic driver by creating hundreds of construction jobs in our communities.”
