Sunoco Inc. and FPL Group’s FPL Energy announced an agreementyesterday to build a 725 MW gas-fired combined cycle power plant atSunoco’s refinery in Marcus Hook, PA. The two companies said theyintend to gain all necessary approvals by the third quarter andstart construction in late 2000. While the refinery will consumethe plant’s steam, all the generation will be sold into thePennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland (PJM) market.

FPL will build, operate and own the planned facility. DaleThomas, an FPL spokesman, said the plant will consume more than 100Dth/d. No supplier has been selected yet, he said, but multipleoptions are being considered.

“This plant will continue FPL Energy’s growth in a key powermarket and further expand our portfolio of clean-energygeneration,” said FPL Energy President Michael Yackira. “We nowhave approximately 4,300 MW of generating capacity in operation orcommitted, with more than half of that total fueled byclean-burning natural gas.”

The new Marcus Hook plant is FPL Energy’s fourth major domesticproject announced this year. A 1,000 MW power plant underconstruction in Paris, TX, will sell electricity primarily in theTexas wholesale market beginning in mid-2000. The FPL subsidiary isplanning to construct and operate a 248 MW, combined cycle naturalgas plant in Everett, WA, by 2001. It also announced a 700 MWnatural gas power plant in Bellingham, MA, to serve the growingdemand for electricity in New England.

Despite its multiple projects throughout the country, FPL isalso active in its home state. It is in the process of repoweringtwo power plants in Florida by replacing old technology withstate-of-the-art combined cycle combustion turbines. These projectswill not only increase FPL’s output, they are also integral part ofFlorida Gas Transmission’s (FGT) plan to expand their pipelinesystem in Florida.

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