Sierra Club asks FPL, Scott to cancel new power plant
The Sierra Club launched a campaign Tuesday asking Gov. Rick Scott and Florida Power & Light Co. to cancel plans to build a new natural gas-burning power plant in Dania Beach.
The environmental organization opposes FPL’s efforts to have the Florida Public Service Commission determine that ratepayers need another “fracked gas” plant.
FPL filed a petition with the PSC last month asking regulators to agree that a modernized $888 million, 1,163-megawatt facility on the site of FPL’s existing Lauderdale plant is a necessity and the least expensive way to provide more power.
In its petition, FPL states that the plant on 392 acres within Dania Beach and Hollywood would burn less natural gas than the existing plant. The existing Lauderdale plant, upgraded or repowered three times since its 1925 construction, runs on both natural gas and oil.
FPL spokesman Dave McDermitt said Tuesday of the Sierra Club’s campaign, “It’s an absurd proposal solely designed to generate publicity and money and demonstrates that organization’s head-in-the-sand approach to energy policy.”
Compared to the existing plant, the new plant will cut primary air emissions by 70 percent, reduce FPL’s overall use of natural gas and help it shut down outdated coal-fired plants, McDermitt said. It will also be $1.288 billion less expensive than building the same amount of solar capacity in the South Florida region.
Sierra Club spokesman Doug Jackson said the governor is being called upon because he appoints members of the Public Service Commission.
“He is named so that he can be fully aware of and accountable for the actions of his appointees,” Jackson said.
Sierra Club Senior Campaign Representative Susannah Randolph said in a statement:
“Whether it’s stronger hurricanes, unhealthy air, or coastal flooding, Florida is already seeing the consequences of climate change caused by burning coal, oil, and gas, so it’s with reckless abandonment that Florida Power and Light is trying to burn even more gas in Dania Beach. We launched this campaign because FPL and Governor Scott must transition to harnessing the power of the sun in the Sunshine State rather than keeping us addicted to dirty, dangerous fossil fuels like fracked gas.”
Natural gas is extracted from shale through a process called hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.”
Hydraulic fracturing produces fractures in the rock formation that stimulate the flow of natural gas or oil, increasing the volumes that can be recovered, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. About two-thirds of natural gas produced in the U.S. is extracted using fracking.
FPL said in the filing it plans to put the plant into service by June 1, 2022, and that the new plant will save customers $337 million over its projected 40-year operating life.
A hearing on the need determination is scheduled for Jan. 18 in Tallahassee.
The Sierra Club expects to argue that the proposed plant is not needed and that cleaner, less costly alternatives are available.
FPL is in the midst of building eight solar energy plants. It projects that by 2020 solar power will outpace coal and oil combined as a percentage of its energy mix.