Manatee County - Florida Power & Light’s Memphis Loop Project
Sharing Information
FPL is planning to construct a new 230-kilovolt transmission line in the West Ellenton area of Manatee County. The transmission “loop” will provide a reliable connection between our existing transmission grid and a new substation being constructed east of the intersection of 16th Ave East and 21st Street Court East. To help minimize the effects on neighborhoods, FPL will be using existing roadways and its own railway corridor in this area.
Why is the project needed?
At FPL, we know how important uninterrupted power is to our customers and we are continually upgrading and improving our facilities to ensure safe and reliable power.
Manatee County, north of the Manatee River, is one of the fastest growing areas within the FPL system. Growth in new customers and increased usage by existing customers, coupled with the re-vitalized commercial growth throughout the area, has placed increasing demands on our electrical system.
Average electric usage among existing FPL customers has increased throughout the 1990s and is expected to keep growing. For example, a 20 percent increase in the average home size in FPL service area has taken place in the last decade. Homeowners and businesses are also utilizing more electrical appliances today than they did 10 years ago.
 What will the new power lines look like?
The power line engineering for this project is just getting started. In general, the new line will be consistent with our current single-pole concrete design. Where the new line will coincide with other lines that already exist, both lines will be combined on a single pole as practical. A photo example of what this new line will look like is illustrated to the right.
Keeping you informed and minimizing inconvenience
We are meeting with governmental officials, community leaders and interested customers to explain the need for this line and to assure them that it will be constructed with safety in mind.
Over the next several months, we will be surveying and performing engineering analysis along the proposed route. Construction is scheduled to begin during the summer of 2008 and will take approximately four months to complete.
We will make every effort to minimize any inconvenience to the community and individual property owners and to work safely and respectfully as we construct the project.
Questions?
If you have questions you may contact FPL by phone at 1-800-693-3267.
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