January 19, 2005
FPL chooses route for new power line to serve Martin County

Juno Beach , Fla. - Florida Power & Light Company today announced it has chosen a route for a new power line that will bring additional electricity to northern and central areas of Martin County and strengthen the overall electric grid. FPL says the new line is needed to meet the increased demand for electricity by existing customers as well as to meet the electric needs of a growing community.

FPL plans to begin engineering and permitting activities this year. Construction of the new line will follow.

The new 138 kilovolt transmission line will connect an existing substation near U.S. Highway 1 and Indian Street south of Stuart to an existing substation located near U.S. Highway 1 and Jensen Beach Boulevard . (See map - PDF, 136k)

The new power line will follow U.S. Highway 1 for the entire distance except at the St. Lucie River crossing. At the river crossing, the route briefly follows the FEC Railway before picking up U.S. Highway 1 again. The new power line will cross the river following the same path as an existing power line and will be placed adjacent to the existing line.

“The route for the power line was chosen after carefully considering the options and incorporating community feedback all through the process,” said Nick Blount, external affairs manager for FPL. “The feedback we have received from the community was very valuable, and we appreciate the time and effort of those who provided input.”

In determining the preferred route, FPL evaluated the possibilities based on engineering studies as well as community input provided from:

• survey forms mailed to residents and business owners in the study area
• comment forms provided during an open house event
• a community advisory panel
• contact with interested citizens via e-mail, telephone and in-person

“The new route is needed to ensure reliable service into the future,” Blount said. “At FPL, we are working hard to provide the infrastructure necessary to ensure electricity is there to meet the needs of our increasing number of customers as well as the growing electric needs of existing customers.”

FPL estimates the number of people served in Martin County will grow by more than 15,000 during the next five years. Over the past five years the number of customers served by FPL has increased in the county by more than 14 percent. An increase in the number of customers and load growth is expected to continue.

Customers may obtain periodic updates including a map of the route at www.FPL.com. Click on “About Us” then “Power Line Projects” and then “Martin County.” Customers may also call 1-800-693-3267 to keep up with the construction and in-service dates.

Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE: FPL), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and services. With annual revenues of more than $9 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies. Florida Power & Light Company serves more than 4.2 million customer accounts in Florida . FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group's wholesale electricity generating subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPL.com , www.FPLGroup.com and www.FPLEnergy.com .