FPL to build three solar power plants in Florida

Juno Beach, Fla.-based FPL Group (NYSE: FPL) announced plans to construct three solar power plants in Florida, for a total of 110 megawatts of power.

The company said the projects include a hybrid energy center, which would couple solar thermal technology with an existing combined-cycle generation unit.

"Pending regulatory approval, FPL will build 110 megawatts of solar power right here in the Sunshine State, making Florida No. 2 in the nation for solar energy," said Lewis Hay, chairman and CEO of FPL.

FPL said these three new plants would move the company more than one-third of the way toward meeting its goal to build a total of 300 MW of solar capacity in Florida (see Ausra, FPL, PG&E heat up solar thermal).

"This is made possible in part by the strong support and determined leadership of Governor Crist and the Florida legislature, who crafted a progressive energy bill that put a supportive policy framework in place for solar power," said Hay.

The company said a 75 MW solar thermal plant that will connect to an existing combined-cycle power plant will go up in Martin County, with construction scheduled to start by the beginning of 2009.

The other two plants will be solar photovoltaic, with FPL saying a 25 MW photovoltaic solar facility is planned for DeSoto County, with construction to start by the end of this year.

FPL said it would also start work on a 10 MW plant by the beginning of 2009 at the Kennedy Space Center as part of a public-private partnership.