FPL Energy, LLC today hosted local leaders and project participants to celebrate construction of its new power plant expansion at the Doswell combined-cycle electric generation facility located in Ashland, Virginia. Actual construction began in June, with expected completion by mid-2001.

With the new 171-megawatt expansion, FPL Energy's Doswell facility will have the capacity to generate 836 megawatts of power. The simple-cycle expansion will function as a peaking unit to be used during time of heaviest electricity demand. Virginia Power will purchase the output under a multi- year agreement.

The unit can also be converted to a combined-cycle unit at a later time, should market demand warrant a future expansion. Utilizing state-of-the-art emissions reduction technology and very low sulfur fuels, the combustion turbine will be an environmentally sound solution to providing needed electric power to the region. Existing gas lines, roads, substation and transmission lines will be utilized.

In addition to meeting increasing electricity demands, the expansion also will provide economic benefits to the community from additional property tax payments for the life of the power plant and job creation during the construction phase.

FPL Energy is a leading independent producer of clean energy with more than 4,000 megawatts of natural gas, wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass generating facilities in operation. Natural gas projects represent approximately 50 percent of its portfolio, with 11 natural gas-fired plants located in seven states and South America.

FPL Energy is a subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. , one of the nation's largest providers of electricity-related services with annual revenues of more than $6 billion. FPL Group's principal subsidiary -- Florida Power & Light Company -- is one of the nation's largest electric utilities serving 3.8 million customer accounts in Florida. Information is available on the Internet at www.fplgroup.com, www.fplenergy.com, and www.fpl.com.

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SOURCE: FPL Energy