PSC OKs Renewable Energy Contracts between FPL, US EcoGen

The Florida Public Service Commission gave Florida Power & Light the green light Tuesday to purchase renewable electricity from three upcoming power facilities.

FPL has entered into power purchase agreements with U.S. EcoGen LLC to purchase renewable power from three biomass facilities the company plans to construct in Okeechobee, Clay, and Martin counties. Service from the eucalyptus-fueled plants is not expected to begin until 2019.

These biomass contracts will create jobs for Floridians, help FPL diversify its fuel supply, and save customers money, said PSC Chairman Ronald Bris/a>. System reliability will also be enhanced, and the contracts help defer the need to construct additional plants generated by fossil fuels.

The three biomass power plants are projected to generate a combined 180 megawatts, PSC staff concluded. That's the equivalent to power 30,000 to 50,000 homes. The project is also estimated to create more than 140 direct and indirect jobs during the 30-year contract.