And yet another counter to "demand destruction", as big Florida gas fired plant gets cranked up this week:
TECO begins power output from large new Fla. plant
Reuters, 05.01.03, 4:56 PM ET
NEW YORK, May 1 (Reuters) - TECO Energy Inc. (nyse: TE - news - people) subsidiary Tampa Electric said Thursday it had begun power output from a large new Florida plant to meet growing electricity demand in the state.
The 750 megawatt Bayside natural gas-fired unit 1, on the east side of Tampa Bay about 10 miles southeast of Tampa, was producing near full capacity Thursday, Tampa Electric spokesman Ross Bannister said.
A 750 MW plant would supply enough power for roughly 750,000 homes.
Another 1,000 MW is expected to be added to the Florida grid in January 2004, when the Bayside gas-fired unit 2 is completed, Bannister said.
The two units have a projected construction cost of about $700 million, he said.
Tampa Electric said in a statement Florida's electricity demand is expected to grow by about 1,000 MW annually.
The Bannister plant was constructed adjacent to the 46-year-old, 1,200 MW coal-fired Gannon power station.
Power production at Gannon is being phased out and will cease by the end of 2004, Bannister said.
Tampa Electric provides electricity to over 1 million residents in a 2,000 square mile area around Tampa.
Copyright 2003, Reuters News |
