October 28, 2003
FPL
Group announces commitment to reduce emissions rate 18 percent
by end
of 2008
JUNO BEACH, Fla. – FPL Group today announced it will voluntarily
reduce its greenhouse gas emissions rate by 18 percent by the end
of 2008 under the Climate Leaders Program, an industry partnership
with the Environmental Protection Agency that is a key component
of the Bush Administration’s climate change policy.
Lew Hay, chairman and chief executive officer of FPL Group, said, “During
the 1990s we began taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
and we have achieved major reductions. As the first electric utility
to join EPA’s Climate Leaders Program, we are proud to respond
to President Bush’s voluntary climate change challenge and
are committed to achieve this ambitious goal to further reduce our
emissions while continuing to provide low-cost, reliable service
to our customers.
"Our environment is fragile, and to preserve it for future
generations, we must find ways to continually improve our operations.
At the same time, the American economy requires reliable and affordable
power, and FPL Group and others are focused on providing that in
an environmentally responsible way.”
FPL Group commits to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions rate by
18 percent between 2003 and 2008 compared to a 2001 baseline. FPL
Group’s principal subsidiary, Florida Power & Light serves
approximately 8 million customers in Florida, and its wholesale generation
subsidiary operates power plants in more than 20 states. Total electric
generating capability for FPL Group today is approximately 28,000
megawatts, 55 percent of which is fueled by cleaner natural gas and
renewable energy and 16 percent from nuclear.
FPL Group will achieve the 18 percent reduction through a variety
of efforts, including:
- Continuing to evaluate fuel switching and efficiency improvement
opportunities at FPL’s fossil-fuel plants.
- Improving the operating efficiency of its Seabrook nuclear power
plant and increasing its output by nearly 7 percent.
- Building or buying power from clean natural gas fired generation
to offset older less efficient facilities.
- Increasing participation of FPL customers in energy management
and conservation programs.
- Continuing expansion of FPL Energy’s U.S. leading wind
energy portfolio.
- Introducing a green power program to FPL customers.
Since joining Climate Leaders in 2002, FPL Group has reduced
significantly emissions from two of its Florida power plants – Fort Myers
and Sanford. Florida Power & Light Company, driven by increasing
demand for electricity in its service territory, is the U.S. leader
in modifying existing plants in a way that not only expands capacity
but also improves energy efficiency and reduces emissions. In this “repowering” process,
FPL converts older, oil-fired units to natural gas combustion
turbines that generate electricity and then use waste heat
from that process
to generate more power through a traditional steam generator.
FPL leads the nation in energy management and conservation programs.
Participation in the FPL programs by more than 1.5 million customers
has helped reduce demand over the past two decades by nearly 4,000
megawatts, enabling FPL to avoid building 10 power plants. The company
expects to introduce new or modified programs, including a green
power program early next year. The program supports the generation
of electricity from renewable sources such as solar, wind, biomass,
landfill gas and hydro.
FPL Energy is the world’s leading producer of wind-generated
electricity with more than 2,700 megawatts in operation today. It
expects to complete construction or acquisition of an additional
325 megawatts of wind-powered generating assets by the end of this
year and add up to 400 megawatts of wind farms in 2004.
Above and beyond the effort for the Climate Leaders program, FPL
Group has many other successful environmental programs:
- FPL Group’s emissions rates are among the lowest of the
100 largest electric generators in the nation. Within the past
decade,
FPL Group has reduced its CO2 emissions rate by 12 percent. It
has reduced other emissions as well, including SO2 rate by 28 percent
and NOx rate by 41 percent.
- In September 2002, FPL signed an agreement with the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection to install pollution prevention
technology called “reburn” on two existing power
generating units at its Manatee plant in Parrish, Florida.
The pollution
prevention
technology is designed to substantially reduce nitrogen oxide
emission levels beyond what the plant has already achieved
with traditional
technologies.
- FPL negotiated an agreement with the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection to install electrostatic precipitators
at the Port Everglades
power plant in Fort Lauderdale to substantially reduce emissions
of particulate matter.
- In addition, FPL operates programs throughout its service
territory to protect the natural environment. They range
from nurturing
the endangered American crocodile in South Florida, to
managing river
flows in Maine in order to meet the habitat needs of fish
species, to the management and stewardship of our land
holdings.
Two prestigious organizations have recognized FPL Group
for its ability to balance environmental stewardship and
financial
performance:
- The Edison Electric Institute this year named FPL Group the winner
of the Edison Award, the electric power industry’s highest
honor, in recognition of success in executing a strategy to become
a clean energy provider harnessing primarily clean and renewable
fuels while also boosting shareholder value. “FPL Group’s
winning strategy clearly demonstrates that environmental excellence
and outstanding financial performance can go hand in hand,” said
EEI President Thomas R. Kuhn.
- Innovest, a global investment research firm, twice named FPL
the number one utility in environmental performance out of
nearly 30
companies surveyed.
FPL Group, with annual revenues of more than $9 billion, is
nationally known as a high quality, efficient, and customer-driven
organization
focused on energy-related products and services. With a
growing presence in 24 states, it is widely recognized as one of
the country's premier
power companies. Its principal subsidiary, Florida Power & Light
Company, serves more than 4 million customer accounts in
Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, an FPL Group energy-generating
subsidiary, is
a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable
fuels. Additional
information is available on the Internet at www.FPLGroup.com,
www.FPL.com and www.FPLEnergy.com.

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