Metro Jacksonville

Community => Parks, Recreation, and the Environment => Topic started by: thelakelander on March 09, 2015, 11:55:50 AM

Title: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: thelakelander on March 09, 2015, 11:55:50 AM
(http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/92421689.jpg)
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/92421689

QuoteThe Cedar Bay Generating Plant, which had been under a long-term contract to supply power to FP&L since 1998, is a 250-megawatt coal-fired facility on Jacksonville's Northside. FP&L is looking to buy the plant for $520.5 million. If successful, its plans are to reduce operations by 90 percent and eventually phase the plant out of service, according to a company statement.

Full article: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2015/03/06/fpl-looks-to-acquire-coal-fired-power-plant-in.html
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: Tacachale on March 09, 2015, 02:04:57 PM
Why would they do this? To shift the supply to their other plants?
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: Jumpinjack on March 09, 2015, 02:09:36 PM
Perhaps it is something like an air pollution mitigation credit.
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: coredumped on March 09, 2015, 02:24:30 PM
Quote from: Tacachale on March 09, 2015, 02:04:57 PM
Why would they do this? To shift the supply to their other plants?

From the article:
QuoteThe result should be an estimated $70 million saved for customers and the prevention of 1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, it said. Under the current setup, FP&L has to pay more than $120 million a year to the plant, but that payment would go away if it bought it.

FPL said it would expect to shut down the Cedar Bay plant in the next two to three years.
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: acme54321 on March 09, 2015, 05:16:06 PM
I didn't even realize that was a powerplant.  I always thought it was part of the cardboard plant.
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: thelakelander on March 09, 2015, 05:54:25 PM
Nope. The containerboard mill is next door.
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: Jason on March 10, 2015, 10:33:13 AM
Hmmmm.  I wonder how this will play into JEA's growth strategies.
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: mtraininjax on March 11, 2015, 01:08:24 AM
Most of FPL's plants in Florida are nuclear, so this is obviously going to help them with credits.
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: thelakelander on March 11, 2015, 06:37:29 AM
Quote from: Jason on March 10, 2015, 10:33:13 AM
Hmmmm.  I wonder how this will play into JEA's growth strategies.

If shut down, it will cost the city and JEA a good chunk of money in annual taxes and fees ($11 million annually according to a 1998 article).

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/1998/01/12/story1.html
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: JHAT76 on March 11, 2015, 12:13:55 PM
Quote from: mtraininjax on March 11, 2015, 01:08:24 AM
Most of FPL's plants in Florida are nuclear, so this is obviously going to help them with credits.

Check my numbers but I believe that only 5 GW of FPL's roughly 25.5 GW generation fleet is nuclear.  I would say the majority of their fleet is natural gas.  Although FPL does intend to build 2 new units at it's Turkey Point facility by 2019.

This sounds more like FPL is buying their way out of an unfavorable contract.  With the drop in natural gas prices many utilities are switching to a more natural gas led portfolio.  Particularly with the current EPA pushing more emissions regulation on coal facilities. 

I would think that FPL already has or will need to build some replacement facility or sign a new contract with another facility to ensure they have the needed generation to serve their customers in the area. 
Title: Re: FPL looks to acquire coal-fired power plant in Jacksonville — and shut it down
Post by: Elwood on March 11, 2015, 09:19:56 PM
The purchase of the Cedar Bay facility is just that - a buy out of a contracted purchase agreement. As for the majority of their generation being nuclear, FPL has 4 nuclear units; 2 at Turkey Point and 2 at Port St. Lucie. The majority of their generation is from a combination of oil, gas, coal fired, and single cycle/ combined cycle CT's. Also a small portion from solar.
Title: Cedar Bay Generating Plant
Post by: Overstreet on March 25, 2015, 08:09:54 AM
I guess you know that this isn't the power park. That one is east of Cedar Bay. Note the lack of cooling towers.  I suspect environmentally we'd like this to happen. This one is likely older.