[ RadSafe ] FPL asks state regulator to agree need for nuclear

[Sandy Perle]

FPL asks state regulator to agree need for nuclear

LOS ANGELES, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Florida Power & Light Company on 
Tuesday asked the Florida state utility regulator to agree there is a 
need to build two new nuclear reactors at the company's Turkey Point 
plant.

Two months ago, FP&L announced plans to build two new reactors at the 
Miami-area plant, to begin operation in 2018 and 2020.

Tuesday's filing of a need for the power generation is the first step 
in a Florida Public Service Commission process to allow the 
construction.

FP&L has told the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its plans to 
build the plants but has yet to file for a license with the NRC.

FP&L is the principal subsidiary of the FPL Group (FPL.N: Quote, 
Profile, Research).

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist supports the FP&L application to build the 
two new nuclear power plants, said Anthony DeLuise, press secretary 
for the governor.

Crist sees nuclear power as "a great fuel source to reduce carbon 
emissions" and that nuclear should be "a part of a balanced fuel 
portfolio," DeLuise said.

Crist has called on the state's utilities to reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions to 2000 levels by 2017, to 1990 levels by 2025 and by 80 
percent of 1990 levels by 2050.

Once in operation, nuclear power emits no greenhouse gases which 

Last month, FPL filed with the Florida PSC plans for 400 megawatts of 
expansion to the utility's two existing nuclear plants, Turkey Point 
and St. Lucie, which is about 120 miles north of Miami.

FP&L now has about 3,200 MW of nuclear power generation, from two 
nuclear reactors each at Turkey Point and St. Lucie. Its total power 
generation capacity is about 21,000 MW.

The Florida PSC rejected earlier this year the utility's plans for a 
for a 1,960-megawatt coal-fired power plant.

FP&L now has 4.5 million customers in 35 Florida counties.

FPL Group has annual revenues of about $16 billion a year.

The estimated cost of each new reactor is between $3 billion and $5 
billion, power industry analysts say. 

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Sander C. Perle
President
Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc.
2652 McGaw Avenue
Irvine, CA 92614 

Tel: (949) 296-2306 / (888) 437-1714  Extension 2306
Fax:(949) 296-1144

E-Mail: sperle at dosimetry.com
E-Mail: sandyfl at cox.net 

Global Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/