TECO Energy gas utility Peoples Gas System, Florida’s largestretail gas distributor, announced plans to expand distributionservice to southwest Florida. Customers in the Lee County area,including Fort Myers and Cape Coral as well as Naples andsurrounding communities, will be able to buy natural gas for thefirst time.

“Over 100,000 new homes and businesses are projected to beconstructed in the Fort Myers/Naples area during the next decade,”said Girard F. Anderson, TECO Energy CEO. “Our natural gasexpansion project will provide an economical and efficient energyoption to meet the needs of these consumers.” Peoples Gas servesnearly 300,000 customers statewide.

The extension to Fort Myers and Cape Coral will be establishedfirst. It should be completed by late 1999, with Naples to follow.”TECO Energy’s commitment to expand natural gas service tosouthwest Florida is part of our strategy to grow the company’senergy-related businesses, with a major focus on Florida.”

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