Where there’s new power generation these days, there usually isnatural gas. And Florida will add almost 11,000 MW of power overthe next eight years, according to a recent report by the state’sutilities. Power demand is soaring in the state, particularly inthe southwestern portion, where currently there are no gaspipelines. That’s going to change soon, however.

The state’s only interstate gas trunkline, Florida GasTransmission, announced plans last week for its fourth expansionsince going into service. The cornerstone of the new project is a100-mile southern extension to Fort Myers from existing facilitiesnear Tampa.

Florida Power &amp Light plans to add 2,500 MW of gas-firedpower, the majority of which will be added at its existing FortMyers generation plant. The plant will undergo a major repoweringover the next three years that will triple its capacity through theaddition of new gas-fired turbines. By 2001, FPL expects to needmore than 180 MMcf/d of additional gas supply to fuel the 1,400 MWplant.

FGT plans to build about 100 miles of new 24- or 30-inchdiameter pipeline for the Fort Myers plant alone. “This is a majorpart of our Phase 4 expansion,” said FGT President Rockford G.Meyer. “We’re negotiating with a number of other shippers to beincluded in this. There will be some upstream looping and maybesome upstream compression along our existing line. We will have therest of this expansion included in our FERC filing to be made onDec. 1.”

Meyer said the pipeline will begin holding town meetings inOctober to come up with a mutually beneficial route. “Our team willbe looking at potential routes that minimize environmental andpublic impact and, wherever possible, follow existing linearfacilities such as power lines, highways and railroads.”

FGT held an open season last year to test the market for newcapacity and so far eight shippers have expressed interest in275,000 Dth/d of capacity. FGT estimates 55,000 Dth/d of that willbe provided with existing capacity that is turned back by othershippers. Meyer said the company will be talking with potentialcustomers over the next few months to gauge interest in additionalcapacity to be added in a fifth phase.

FGT, a subsidiary of Citrus Corp., which is owned by Sonat andEnron, expects to begin construction on the Phase 4 expansion inthe first quarter of 2000 to meet the phased start-up of therepowered Fort Myers facility in early 2001. FGT’s system currentlyhas a capacity to transport 1.4 Bcf/d of gas.

Rocco Canonica

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