30.04.2008 19:00:00
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FPL Announces Proposal to Modernize Riviera and Cape Canaveral Power Plants to High-Technology Next Generation Clean Energy Centers
Florida Power & Light Company (NYSE:FPL) announced today a proposal to
modernize its power plants at Riviera Beach and Cape Canaveral to
high-efficiency natural gas units employing the latest technology, a
move that will save customers hundreds of millions of dollars and
significantly improve the environmental profile of FPL’s
generation fleet.
"Modernizing these two power plants to
high-efficiency natural gas units will be a win for FPL customers and
these communities. The state’s growing need
for electricity will be met, customers will save money, the air will be
cleaner, and the reduction in greenhouse gasses will be significant,”
said FPL President Armando Olivera.
The current generating units at the Riviera power plant went into
service in 1962 and 1963 and generate 280 megawatts of power each. The
Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center, scheduled to go
online in 2014, will feature a combined cycle natural gas unit capable
of producing 1,250 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power 250,000
homes and businesses. Cape Canaveral’s
existing units came online in 1965 and 1969 and generate 400 megawatts
of power each. The Cape Canaveral Next Generation Clean Energy Center,
scheduled to go into service in 2013, will also feature a combined cycle
natural gas unit capable of producing 1,250 megawatts of power.
The new units will be considerably more efficient than the existing
facilities, using at least 33 percent less fuel to produce the same
amount of power. At a time of historically high fuel prices, it makes
economic sense to modernize the plants to capture fuel savings. Over the
life of the project, FPL estimates that the plant upgrades will save
customers about $450 million.
By modernizing the plants with the latest and best technology for
generating electricity from natural gas, FPL’s
system-wide environmental profile — already
among the best in the United States — will
improve significantly. The new units will improve air quality by
reducing particulate emissions by 88 percent at these sites and improve
the plants’ carbon dioxide emission rate by 50
percent. This is the equivalent of removing 200,000 cars from the road
in the first year alone, according the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
In addition, FPL will make a number of environmental improvements at
each site. For example, the office buildings at both sites will feature
rooftop solar panels to help power the facilities, and the buildings
themselves will be certified as environmentally sustainable under the
U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. At the Riviera
Beach energy center, FPL will also provide for a permanent manatee
viewing area to foster continued support for this endangered species.
Modernizing the two plants is contingent on a number of factors,
including whether FPL is granted approval to construct a third natural
gas unit at the company’s West County
facility in Palm Beach County. Without the new West County unit, FPL
will not have a sufficient "reserve margin" of generating capacity to
take the Riviera Beach and Cape Canaveral plants offline to upgrade
them. FPL filed a determination of need petition for the third West
County unit with the Florida Public Service Commission on April 8.
The communities of Riviera Beach and Brevard County will also benefit
from the plants being modernized. Combined, the projects are expected to
generate about $30 million in additional property tax revenue in the
first year of operation alone. Aesthetically, the modernized units will
feature an improved design, with stacks only half the height of the
existing stacks.
The modernization projects will be licensed and approved through Florida’s
Power Plant Siting Act. FPL filed its determination of need petition
with the Florida Public Service Commission today to begin the process of
regulatory approval.
Those interested in learning more about the conversion projects are
invited to visit www.FPL.com.
Florida Power & Light Company is a subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc.
(NYSE:FPL), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and
customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and
services. With annual revenues of over $15 billion and a growing
presence in 27 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the
country’s premier power companies. Florida
Power & Light Company serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida.
FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group’s competitive
energy subsidiary is the nation’s leader in
producing electricity from clean and renewable sources such as solar and
wind. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPL.com,
www.FPLGroup.com
and www.FPLEnergy.com.
Cautionary Statements and Risk Factors That May Affect Future Results
In connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (Reform Act), FPL Group and Florida Power
& Light Company (Florida Power & Light) are hereby providing cautionary
statements identifying important factors that could cause FPL Group's or
Florida Power & Light's actual results to differ materially from those
projected in forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the
Reform Act) made by or on behalf of FPL Group and Florida Power & Light
in this press release, on their respective websites, in response to
questions or otherwise. Any statements that express, or involve
discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives,
assumptions, future events or performance, climate change strategy or
growth strategies (often, but not always, through the use of words or
phrases such as will likely result, are expected to, will continue, is
anticipated, aim, believe, could, estimated, may, plan, potential,
projection, target, outlook, predict, intend) are not statements of
historical facts and may be forward-looking. Forward-looking statements
involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties. Accordingly, any such
statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to, and are
accompanied by, the following important factors (in addition to any
assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection
with such forward-looking statements) that could cause FPL Group's or
Florida Power & Light's actual results to differ materially from those
contained in forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of FPL
Group and Florida Power & Light.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such
statement is made, and FPL Group and Florida Power & Light undertake no
obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or
circumstances, including unanticipated events, after the date on which
such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time and it is
not possible for management to predict all of such factors, nor can it
assess the impact of each such factor on the business or the extent to
which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to
differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.
The following are some important factors that could have a significant
impact on FPL Group's and Florida Power & Light's operations and
financial results, and could cause FPL Group's and Florida Power &
Light's actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those
discussed in the forward-looking statements:
FPL Group and Florida Power & Light are subject to complex laws and
regulations and to changes in laws and regulations as well as changing
governmental policies and regulatory actions, including, but not
limited to, initiatives regarding deregulation and restructuring of
the energy industry and environmental matters, including, but not
limited to, matters related to the effects of climate change. Florida
Power & Light holds franchise agreements with local municipalities and
counties, and must renegotiate expiring agreements. These factors may
have a negative impact on the business and results of operations of
FPL Group and Florida Power & Light.
The operation and maintenance of transmission, distribution and power
generation facilities, including nuclear facilities, involve
significant risks that could adversely affect the results of
operations and financial condition of FPL Group and Florida Power &
Light.
The construction of, and capital improvements to, power generation
facilities, including nuclear facilities, involve substantial risks.
Should construction or capital improvement efforts be unsuccessful,
the results of operations and financial condition of FPL Group and
Florida Power & Light could be adversely affected.
Because FPL Group and Florida Power & Light rely on access to capital
markets, the inability to maintain current credit ratings and to
access capital markets on favorable terms may limit the ability of FPL
Group and Florida Power & Light to grow their businesses and would
likely increase interest costs.
Customer growth in Florida Power & Light’s
service area affects FPL Group's and Florida Power & Light's results
of operations.
Weather affects FPL Group's and Florida Power & Light's results of
operations.
FPL Group and Florida Power & Light are subject to costs and other
effects of legal proceedings as well as changes in or additions to
applicable tax laws, rates or policies, rates of inflation, accounting
standards, securities laws and corporate governance requirements.
Threats of terrorism and catastrophic events that could result from
terrorism, cyber attacks, or individuals and/or groups attempting to
disrupt FPL Group's and Florida Power & Light's business may impact
the operations of FPL Group and Florida Power & Light in unpredictable
ways.
The ability of FPL Group and Florida Power & Light to obtain insurance
and the terms of any available insurance coverage could be affected by
national, state or local events and company-specific events.
FPL Group and Florida Power & Light are subject to employee workforce
factors that could affect the businesses and financial condition of
FPL Group and Florida Power & Light.
The risks described herein are not the only risks facing FPL Group and
Florida Power & Light. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently
known to FPL Group or Florida Power & Light, or that are currently
deemed to be immaterial, also may materially adversely affect FPL
Group's or Florida Power & Light's business, financial condition and/or
future operating results.
Note to Editors: High-resolution logos and executive head shots are
available for download at http://www.fpl.com/news/logos.shtml.
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