Consumer Energy Alliance Backs PSC's Tropicana Energy Decision

Kevin Doyle, Consumer Energy Alliance--Florida executive director, issued the following statement on the Public Service Commissions decision to approve a plan to connect a 1.6-megawatt renewable energy generating facility at Tropicanas facility in Fort Pierce with the Florida Power & Light power grid.

The agreement requires Tropicana to pay the $95,000 cost needed for FPL to be able to handle the plants new power-generating facility that will incorporate burning landfill gas.

The deal is part of the commissions rule intended to encourage businesses and even homeowners to generate their own power yet be linked with a local electric utility. The intent of the rule is to allow users or utility to buy additional power if needed.

The Consumer Energy Alliance supports an all-of-the-above energy policy, and any proposal that increases the diversity and affordability of Floridas energy supply is a very positive development, Doyle stated.

Florida has tremendous renewable and biomass resources that can be developed to benefit energy consumers throughout the state. For Florida to attract and retain businesses and manufacturing facilities, we must have affordable and reliable power that is priced at competitive rates compared against other states in the region.

Florida currently imports the vast majority of the resources used for energy production, so greater use of the resources already here will help make our state more energy independent.

The PSC approval furthers commission policies encouraging businesses and homeowners to generate their own renewable energy while remaining interconnected with an electric utility. Tropicana will burn renewable landfill gas to generate power for its citrus processing plant.