Solar projects of nearly 450 MW make progress in Florida

Florida Power & Light Co (FLP) said Tuesday it has started construction of almost 300 MW of solar power plants in Florida and on the same day Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) provided updates regarding 150 MW of photovoltaic (PV) projects in the state.

FPL’s four projects, each of 74.5 MW, include FPL Interstate Solar Energy Center in St. Lucie County, FPL Miami-Dade Solar Energy Center in Miami-Dade County, FPL Pioneer Trail Solar Energy Center in Volusia County, and FPL Sunshine Gateway Solar Energy Center in Columbia County. They are expected to go online by early 2019.

Currently, FPL has over 935 MW of operational solar capacity, including 14 solar parks and many small solar systems. The company aims to have roughly 10 million PV panels in operation by 2022, and its latest projects will help it surpass 5 million.

Duke Energy Florida, meanwhile, said it has started construction in early July of the 74.9-MW Hamilton Solar Power Plant in Hamilton County and it expects to break ground on a solar farm of the same size in Columbia County next year. The PV park in Hamilton, originally developed by Tradewind Energy Inc, is expected to be up and ready to run later in 2018. Full operation of the Columbia Solar Power Plant, developed by Core Solar, is targeted in March 2020.

These two are the first projects announced as part of Duke Energy Florida's commitment to build or buy 700 MW of solar power capacity between now and 2022.

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