Florida Gov. might allow new coal power plants

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Florida's Gov. Charlie Crist said he does not want new coal power plants built in his state because of their greenhouse gas emissions, but stopped short of ruling out new plants fired by the fuel.

"I'm not a coal fan, I'm just not. I really don't want it in Florida," Crist told the Reuters Environment Summit via telephone late on Tuesday.

Still, Crist said the state's heavy energy demand means that if coal plants can be proven to be clean "then, perhaps" new plants could be built. "There is some flexion there, but bottom line, I'm not a coal fan."

Plans for two Florida coal-fired power plants were ditched this summer amid concerns about global warming. Coal is the fuel that releases the most carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas.

In July a group of Florida utilities halted plans to build a $2 billion 800 megawatt conventional coal-fired power plant, saying the decision gave them time to consider how to meet electricity needs in light of growing greenhouse gas concerns.

In June, the Florida Public Service Commission denied a proposal by FPL Group Inc.'s (FPL.N) Florida Power & Light Co. subsidiary to build a $5.7 billion, 1,960 MW coal-fired power station in Glades County.

"We rejected the one they wanted to put right next to the Everglades, so I think that makes a pretty strong statement," said Crist.

The governor laid out in June initiatives for power companies in the state, the country's fourth most populous, to generate 20 percent of their power from renewable sources, focusing on wind and solar power.

He also put forth a plan aimed to reduce state greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. Crist say he is working with the state legislature to make the plan enforceable.

COAL PLANTS STILL PLANNED

Still, companies aim to build seven new coal-fired plants in Florida, none of which would be equipped with equipment, favored by many environmentalists and scientists, that would capture carbon dioxide for permanent storage underground.

TECO Energy Inc.'s (TE.N) Tampa Electric Co. has filed an application in Florida to build a 630 MW coal plant called Polk Six. The $2-billion "clean coal" plant would reduce emissions associated with acid rain and smog, but does not plan to bury carbon dioxide.

Utilities have warned that if too many coal plants are stopped it would place too much reliance on natural gas, imports of which are growing. More than half of Florida's power is generated from natural gas, more than 20 percent comes from oil, less than 20 percent comes from coal and less than 10 percent from nuclear.

Crist said the state could get much of its new power from solar, wind, and nuclear.

Some utilities and studies suggest that Florida's gentle breezes are too soft for dependable power generation, but Crist is a big believer in wind. "I'm very excited by the prospect of that, I think it will work," he said.

He also supports solar thermal, a technology that concentrates solar rays to heat water and run a power plant, and generating energy from the ebb and flow of tides.

(For summit blog: summitnotebook.reuters.com/)

(Editing by Tim Dobbyn)