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TECO Partnership Will Bring Solar Power To Customers

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By RUSSELL RAY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 9, 2009

Tampa Electric announced this morning plans to buy electricity from a solar power plant that will be built on a 200 to 400 acre site in Polk County.

The plant will begin generating power in 2011. It will be one of the largest solar plants in the nation, the utility said in a press release.

Energy 5.0 of West Palm Beach will build and operate the plant. The facility is expected to produce enough power for more than 3,400 homes and will help Tampa Electric meet Florida's goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"This cutting-edge project will be important in meeting current and future state renewable energy objectives," Tampa Electric President Chuck Black said in a statement.

Florida lawmakers are expected to pass legislation this session requiring electric utilities to produce a certain amount of their power from renewable resources. The Florida Public Service Commission has recommended the state's utilities generate 20 percent of their power from renewable resources by 2020, an ambitious goal supported by Gov. Charlie Crist.

TECO will purchase the solar power from Energy 5.0 under a 25-year contract.

During the life of the contract, the solar plant "is expected to avoid the emission of up to 1.45 million tons of carbon dioxide" compared to a plant fueled with natural gas, Tampa Electric said.

In a statement, Crist said the project "moves Florida closer to our goal of increasing energy diversity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

The project requires approval from state regulators.

"As our company's flagship solar power project, this undertaking will be a showcase for zero-emission renewable power in the Southeast," said Energy 5.0 Chairman Bud Cherry.

Tampa Electric provides power to 667,000 customers in Hillsborough County and portions of Pinellas, Polk and Pasco counties.

Reporter Russell Ray can be reached at (813) 259-7870.

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