Progress Energy Florida Selects Preferred Area for Power Lines

Community input is key consideration; lines needed to meet demands of growing
region

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Progress Energy
Florida has selected a "preferred corridor" for potential transmission lines
that predominantly follows the path of existing lines across nine Central
Florida counties, minimizing the impact on the community and the environment.
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"During the past year, we have actively solicited community input and
suggestions about this project," said Jeff Lyash, president and chief
executive officer of Progress Energy Florida. "We listened to that feedback.
Overwhelmingly, people suggested we locate the new lines along or adjacent to
existing lines wherever possible, to minimize the impact on nearby
communities."
More than 90 percent of the preferred corridor follows existing rights of
way. In limited areas, the existing right of way will need to be widened; in
most other areas, no additional land will be needed. No more than 20 miles of
new right of way will be acquired for the project, which measures nearly 200
miles long. All areas will require further study before specific route options
can be identified.
The preferred corridor avoids new impacts in several environmentally
sensitive areas, such as Brooker Creek Preserve in Pinellas County, the
Rainbow River in Marion County, and Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco
County.
"We are committed to being good stewards of the natural resources
entrusted to our care," Lyash said. "While we have a responsibility to meet
the growing energy needs of our customers and state, the environment is an
integral part of planning, design, construction and operational decisions."
As population and energy use in Florida continue to grow, Progress Energy
Florida is considering adding about 200 miles of transmission lines across
nine counties to maintain reliability and to move energy efficiently to
residents throughout the region and the state. New 230- and 500-kilovolt
transmission lines could affect Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Levy,
Marion, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties.
Transmission lines are planned in three main segments, including from a
proposed power plant in Levy County to the Wildwood/Leesburg area; from Levy
County south to Hernando County; and from Pinellas County to Kathleen in Polk
County.
As part of the company's Site Certification Application (SCA), to be filed
in June with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Progress
Energy must submit a preferred corridor for the transmission lines. That means
the company must define, within one mile, where the line will ultimately be
built.
The preferred corridor varies in width from 300 feet to 1 mile. It does
not represent the specific route of the transmission lines, which will be
significantly more narrow than the preferred corridor. Specific route options
will be selected in late 2008 and early 2009.
In selecting a preferred corridor from the dozens of options, the company
had to balance many factors - such as community input, environmental impact,
land use, cost, safety and reliability.
As part of this process, the company initiated an innovative community
approach a year ago that includes participation from residents and key leaders
throughout the region. The Community Partnership for Energy Planning involves
a cross-section of community leaders and representatives, including public
officials, businesses, environmentalists, neighborhoods and economic
development agencies, among others.
Thousands of residents of the potentially affected counties attended more
than 30 informational meetings in the past nine months. The company also
considered their opinions on the study areas. The communities' priorities were
consistent. Feedback from residents suggested the company should select a
corridor that affects the fewest homeowners, and, where possible, the company
should build the lines along or adjacent to existing transmission lines or
other utility equipment.
Plans call for the transmission lines to be suspended on two kinds of
structures. The single steel poles are between 90 and 165 feet tall, depending
on voltage; H-frame (two-pole) structures are about 120 feet tall. The
structures would be spaced 700 to 1,300 feet apart, depending on the structure
and the terrain.
After the SCA is filed with state officials in June, Progress Energy
Florida will begin further studying the preferred corridor for specific route
options. The route-study process involves intense research, including a review
of current and future land use, environmental issues, existing utilities,
homes, wetlands and other real-estate issues. Crews may conduct field or
aerial research.
As specific route options are defined - this fall and in 2009 - Progress
Energy Florida will hold additional public informational meetings to share
those options with residents.
Rights of way will be acquired beginning later this year and will continue
for several years. Engineering and design work will begin in 2009; exact
locations for poles and other structures will be known when that work is
complete in 2012. Construction is planned to begin in 2012, with the project
expected to be in service in 2016. The project will require approval by the
Florida Public Service Commission and other agencies.
Progress Energy has sent letters to all residents whose property is within
the original study areas. In coming weeks, an interactive map will be
available online at www.progress-energy.com/energyplanning for residents to
see where their property is located in relation to the preferred corridor. The
public may get additional information by email, EnergyPlanning@pgnmail.com, or
by calling 1-888-238-0373.
Progress Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN),
provides electricity and related services to 1.7 million customers in Florida.
The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., and serves a territory
encompassing more than 20,000 square miles including the cities of St.
Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as the Central Florida area surrounding
Orlando. Progress Energy Florida is pursuing a balanced approach to meeting
the future energy needs of the region. That balance includes increased
energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a
state-of-the-art electricity system. For more information about Progress
Energy, visit the company's Web site at www.progress-energy.com .
SOURCE Progress Energy Florida

Progress Energy Florida 24-hour media line, +1-866-520-6397