Florida Power & Light Company today outlined a new plan to meet customer growth and increased use of electricity by expanding at its existing power plant sites in Martin and Manatee counties. The proposal would add 1,900 megawatts of new, cleaner- burning natural gas combined-cycle generation by mid-2005.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010621/FPLLOGO )

The proposal would allow FPL to serve more than 400,000 new customers by the middle of the decade and maintain a 20 percent reserve margin.

  FPL's expansion proposal calls for:

  * Adding 1,100 megawatts of new, state-of-the-art, natural gas-fired
    combined-cycle generation at its 9,500-acre Manatee plant site east of
    Bradenton on Florida's west coast.
  * Converting two existing natural gas combustion turbines, along with two
    new turbines, into more efficient combined-cycle natural gas generation
    providing an additional 800 megawatts at its 11,300-acre Martin site
    near Indiantown, Florida.

Combined-cycle generating technology uses combustion turbines (similar to jet engines) in combination with steam-driven turbine/generators to efficiently and cost-effectively produce electricity. The Martin site natural gas peaking units planned for conversion are turbines currently used just for short periods of time to meet high customer use in the summer or winter.

These two projects would increase the company's capability to provide electricity to customers by 10 percent. The decision to build these units is the result of the utility's comprehensive evaluation of power purchase proposals from other companies and FPL-formulated alternatives. The evaluation showed that expansion at existing FPL sites was the most cost- effective option for our customers and represented the best balance of economic and environmental considerations.

FPL's capacity expansion evaluation was designed to assure that sufficient, reliable generation would be in place by mid-decade to meet customer growth and increased use of electricity in the most efficient and economical manner.

"We are pleased that our proposal offers customers the opportunity for reliable energy, using a clean fuel and existing FPL sites. That helps conserve Florida's resources," said FPL President Paul Evanson.

Evanson also announced an additional opportunity for the existing Manatee generating units.

"Thanks to the arrival of a new natural gas pipeline on Florida's west coast, we also plan to use natural gas in combination with oil at our existing Manatee generating units," Evanson said.

"Adding natural gas at FPL's last remaining oil-fired generating units helps maintain the reliability of FPL's system by supporting our fuel diversity strategy. At the same time, burning gas at these units will improve their environmental performance."

FPL must complete a number of steps to earn acceptance and approval for its expansion proposal.

"Our first step is opening a dialogue with the residents of these communities about our proposed projects, which we will begin immediately," said Mr. Evanson. "We want to learn about the communities' interests and priorities and incorporate them into the technical requirements we must meet in order to provide additional electricity to the region."

Then, within the coming weeks, FPL will take its generation expansion proposals to the Florida Public Service Commission for a "need" determination. At that time the company will review its decision-making process and customer load growth forecast with the commission. FPL also will seek government and agency approvals for the plant expansions by filing site certification applications with Florida's Department of Environmental Protection. This will provide for a rigorous public and governmental review process as prescribed by Florida's comprehensive Power Plant Siting Act.

Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. , one of the nation's largest providers of electricity-related services with annual revenues of more than $8 billion. The company serves 3.9 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, an FPL Group energy-generating subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.fpl.com.

MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here

http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X31143008

SOURCE: Florida Power & Light Company