JUNO BEACH, Fla.—Florida Power & Light Co. on March 1 announced the opening of its four newest solar power plants. FPL also said its rates are decreasing as the company’s typical customer bill continues to be lower than it was more than a decade ago.
The following new plants began powering FPL customers early on March 1:
- FPL Barefoot Bay Solar Energy Center, Brevard County;
- FPL Blue Cypress Solar Energy Center, Indian River County;
- FPL Loggerhead Solar Energy Center, St. Lucie County; and
- FPL Hammock Solar Energy Center, Hendry County
“We are committed to advancing affordable clean energy – the right way,” said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. “We are building some of the lowest-cost universal solar ever in the country, which keeps costs down for our customers. The completion of these newest plants demonstrates that it is possible to be both clean and affordable, bringing numerous economic and environmental benefits to our customers and the communities we serve.”
In 2018, FPL completed eight new solar energy centers while keeping its typical customer bill lower than it was more than 10 years ago.
The eight solar plants that entered service in 2018 are projected to generate more than $100 million in total system savings for FPL customers during their operating lifetime—over and above the cost of constructing and operating the plants.
The continued evolution of battery storage technology is beginning to open the door for it to play a role in further improving the economics and operational flexibility of solar plants. Last month, FPL unveiled a new, cutting-edge solar-plus-storage system that is believed to be the first in the country to fully integrate battery technology with a major solar power plant in a way that increases the plant's overall energy output to the electric grid.
The innovative pairing of solar and storage technology was incorporated into the FPL Citrus Solar Energy Center, a solar power plant built in 2016. The storage capability will not increase the peak output of the plant but is expected to increase the amount of solar energy the plant can deliver to the electric grid over the course of a year by more than half a million kilowatt-hours.
FPL customers will begin to see a decrease in their rates immediately, saving a typical 1,000-kWh residential customer $3.35 a month compared with previous rates. The latest decrease is due primarily to the completion of a temporary surcharge for Hurricane Matthew restoration and savings generated by the closure of a major coal plant.
Already among the lowest in the nation, FPL’s typical customer bill is approximately 30% below the latest national average. Moreover, FPL’s typical bill will be down a total of almost $10 a month compared with rates in 2006.
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