ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.,
Dec. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke
Energy Florida customers are now benefiting from an additional 8.8
megawatts (MW) of solar, a carbon-free renewable resource in the
Sunshine State.
The company's newest solar power plant contains nearly 44,000
solar panels on 70 acres in Suwannee
County.
Elected officials and community leaders will join Duke Energy at
a commemorative ribbon cutting and solar panel signing ceremony on
Dec. 14 at 10
a.m. to celebrate the opening. The facility is located at
4020 River Road, Live Oak, Fla.,
just east of the existing Suwannee
power plant.
"We are proud of our newest solar power plant and excited about
our future solar development in Florida," said Harry
Sideris, Duke Energy Florida state president. "In the next
four years, we will be adding up to 700 MW of new solar generation
as part of our ongoing strategy to offer cleaner, smarter energy
solutions that customers value in the Sunshine State."
Duke Energy Florida's Suwannee Solar Facility began operating in
November. Solar projects enable the company to efficiently bring
the greatest amount of renewable energy online for customers in the
most economical way.
The company retired three natural gas units at the Suwannee power plant December 2016. Originally the units, built in the
early 1950s, were oil-fired. The steam units were converted to run
on natural gas and generated 129 MW. Three other 1980s era
clean-burning, natural gas units, capable of generating 155 MW,
remain in operation on the plant site as part of the system that
supplies extra energy when demand from customers is the
greatest.
Plans to build additional solar
A settlement
agreement approved by the Florida Public Service Commission will
allow the company to add up to 700 (MW) of cost-effective solar
over the next four years, accelerating the company's previous
10-year solar installation plan. The company plans to begin
construction of its sixth Florida
solar power plant to be located in Hamilton County in 2018. The plant will have
approximately 300,000 solar panels and will be built on nearly 550
acres of land in Jasper.
The 74.9-MW Hamilton Solar Plant will produce clean,
emissions-free energy, which will be enough to power more than
20,000 homes at peak production.
Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida owns and
operates a diverse generation mix, including renewables, providing
about 8,800 MW of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.8
million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.
With its Florida regional
headquarters located in St. Petersburg,
Fla., Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power
holding companies in the United
States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business
unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six
states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company's Gas Utilities
and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to
approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business
unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across
the United States.
Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the
company is available at duke-energy.com.
The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for
journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and
videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online
destination for stories about people, innovations, and community
and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and
insights into the future of energy.
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Facebook.
Contact: Ana Gibbs
Office: 727.820.4722 | 24-Hour: 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy