Florida Power and Light achieved record levels of performance while reducing costs, improving quality, and enhancing customer satisfaction

Customer growth

FPL added almost 65,000 customer accounts in 1998, representing an increase of 1.8%, a rate faster than most other electric utilities in the country. Over the next five years the population in the area served by FPL is projected to grow by almost 600,000 people.

Increased usage

Average energy usage among customers has increased throughout the 1990s, reflecting a 20% increase in the average home size in FPL's service area and greater use of personal computers and other devices that run on electricity.

Adding capacity

FPL will meet future growth through expanding its system capacity by about 3,100 MW, or about 17%, over the next ten years. FPL will repower older oil-fired power plants with high-efficiency gas-fired combined-cycle generators. Plans call for adding 926 MW by repowering the Ft. Myers plant in 2001, followed by the Sanford plant in 2002. Three new gas combined-cycle units are planned for the second half of the decade, two at the Martin site and the third at a site to be selected.

Steady growth

Throughout the 1990s, FPL has had strong sales growth driven by a steady increase in customers and average usage.

Energy trading

The Energy Marketing and Trading (EMT) division completed its first full year of operation in 1998, supporting FPL's power generation facilities by procuring gas, as well as marketing and trading electricity. EMT's expanded presence in energy markets produced approximately $65 million in fuel and power savings for FPL customers in 1998, up from less than $5 million in 1996. EMT has grown to rank among the top 10 physical power marketers and gas buyers in the U.S.

New employees

FPL added more than 250 employees in 1998 to support increased activity, service enhancements and growth opportunities in several areas, including EMT, sales and marketing, information management and customer service. Half of these new hires were recruited from colleges, bringing with them diversity and new ideas to help the company succeed in a competitive environment.