FPL Begins Construction on 745MW Solar Projects

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Sunshine State’s Florida Power and Light continues to invest in renewable energy. After announcing the plan to build the world’s largest solar-powered battery system south of Tampa, Fla., the power utility company has started construction on 10 more solar energy centers across the state.

These facilities are expected to begin powering customers with solar energy by early 2020:

• FPL Babcock Preserve Solar Energy Center, Charlotte County
• FPL Blue Heron Solar Energy Center, Hendry County
• FPL Cattle Ranch Solar Energy Center, DeSoto County
• FPL Echo River Solar Energy Center, Suwannee County
• FPL Hibiscus Solar Energy Center, Palm Beach County
• FPL Northern Preserve Solar Energy Center, Baker County
• FPL Okeechobee Solar Energy Center, Okeechobee County
• FPL Southfork Solar Energy Center, Manatee County
• FPL Sweetbay Solar Energy Center, Martin County
• FPL Twin Lakes Solar Energy Center, Putnam County

Each of these facilities will have a capacity of 74.5 megawatts, which, upon completion will increase the utility provider’s installed capacity by 60 percent, and boost the company’s total solar capacity to 2 gigawatts, sufficient to power about 400,000 households. In addition, each of them is expected to create 200 jobs during peak construction. Of the new FPL solar power plants, six will support FPL SolarTogether, the company’s new community solar program, which, if approved by the Florida Public Service Commission, will be the largest one in the country.

Currently, the company operates approximately 1,250 megawatts of solar capacity across 18 existing solar plants and other smaller installations. Its “30-by-30” plan is to install 30 million panels by 2030. FPL’s solar investment has reduced customers’ bills, now 30 percent below the national average.