Progress maps new power lines
Backyard warriors around Tampa Bay can breathe easier today, as Progress Energy maps out 200 miles of planned transmission that avoids the most controversial obstacles.
None of the new 200-mile transmission project will be built in Pasco County, where residents hotly opposed an east-west corridor along S.R. 54. In Pinellas County, the lines will entirely avoid both Brooker Creek Preserve and the Crescent Oaks subdivision, to the relief of environmentalists and homeowners.
All but 20 miles of the project will follow existing transmission corridors, including an upgraded line that will run from Oldsmar east through Hillsbourough County. New transmission corridors will slice through part of northwest Citrus County and southwest Levy County, along a stretch south of Wildwood near Leesburg in Sumter County, and a small swathe northwest of Brookridge in Hernando County.
“Transmission is probably the hardest thing we build because it impacts the most people directly,” said Jeff Lyash, president and CEO of Progress Energy Florida.
The $3-billion project will carry power south from Progress Energy’s $14-billion planned nuclear power plant in Levy County, several miles north of Crystal River along U.S. 19. The utility will file in June for environmental approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for both the plant site and the power lines. The process will take 12 to 18 months.
Over the last year, the utility met repeatedly with homeowners and local leaders from around the region, trying to find the best routes, Lyash said. The project could impact as many as 13,500 property owners, who will begin receiving letters from Progress Energy this week. The utility will begin negotiating to buy land or easements by the end of the year. Where the utility can’t reach a deal, it may have to resort to eminent domain, Lyash said. Construction is slated to begin in 2012, and the project should be completed by 2016.
"I think this process has gone well so far," Lyash said. "It's not near done yet."
Not everyone shared his rosy outlooks. Over the several months, protests have erupted in Pinellas County over a proposed route that would have crossed Brooker Creek Preserve. Bruce Rinker, Pinellas County’s director of environmental lands division, and the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve strongly opposed widening transmission line corridors in the preserve.
Last week, Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman asked that the county administrator and county attorney do everything possible to fight against Progress Energy’s new power poles. For Norman, that includes forming coalitions with Pasco and other counties along the route.
“We need to have a foundation of strength that we are all together protecting our citizens and our neighborhoods," Norman said.
And Hernando County Commissioners have urged the utility to put the lines underground. Without the authority to dictate to the utility, commissioners said they would appeal to Gov. Charlie Crist and the state cabinet if needed.
The upgraded lines won’t run through Pasco County, where hundreds of residents had petitioned against Progress Energy’s plans and county commissioners vowed legal action to stop the utility.
Neighbors and officials greeted the news with relief.
“Progress has to be applauded for listening to citizens’ concerns,” said commission chairman Ted Schrader. “And the citizens of the (State Road) 54 corridor are to be applauded and congratulated.”
The utility's nuclear plans still have several more hurdles to clear. On Wednesday, Progress Energy begins three days of hearings before the Florida Public Service Commission to determine whether the new power plants are needed and if nuclear is the most cost-effective option. The utility also has to win approval from DEP, and from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Progress Energy has yet to commit to building the plant, which has turned out to be far more expensive than its early estimates. The utility plans to build two 1,100-megawatt Westinghouse AP1000 reactors. It is one of more than 20 new nuclear projects planned throughout the country. Florida Power & Light plans to build two Westinghouse reactors at its Turkey Point power station near Miami at a price of $12-billion to $18-billion.
Florida's stalled growth has some advocates worried that customers could get stuck with a multi-billion dollar boondoggle. But Lyash said the need for electricity in the state continues to grow.
For detailed maps of Progress Energy's transmission lines, click here:
Download pref_corridor_map.pdf
To contact Progress Energy, email EnergyPlanning@pgnmail.com, or call 1-888-238-0373.
-Asjylyn Loder, Times Staff Writer. Staff writers Theresa Blackwell, Chuin-Wei Yap, Chandra Broadwater and Rodney Thrash contributed to this report.
I came to this site to see the map of the "final" plans as to where the lines will "actually" run. All I found was the map of the "proposed" lines from the meetings earlier this year. Where are the maps of where the lines are "actually" going to go ?
Thank You
Posted by: Woodland Waters Homeowner | May 20, 2008 at 09:47 AM
To the Woodland Waters Homeowner, I am a fellow Woodland Waters Homeowner and a member of the Board of Directors of our homeowner association.
I have reviewed the downloaded map and based on the proposed east/west corridor, the lines will come down our corridor and turn east toward Sunshine Grove Rd. before it comes near Woodland Waters. It will either run along Hexam or through the proposed Lake Hideaway subdivision before it hits Woodland Waters.
Hope this helps!
Posted by: Another Woodland Waters Homeowner | May 21, 2008 at 08:45 AM
An open letter to:
Boards of County Commissioners in the Region,
Mayors and City Councils in the Region,
Metropolitan Planning Organizations in the Region,
Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA),
Progress Energy and Tampa Electric Company,
Florida Department of Transportation, District 7,
Tampa Tribune, St. Petersburg Times,
My involvement with Progress Energy, TECO, Transportation, and TBARTA led to a synergistic plan that I presented to our Metropolitan Planning Organization for Transportation, Hillsborough County, and TBARTA and outlined herein.
Each Board of County Commissioners and City Council in our 7 county region now have two unprecedented opportunities to set aside our “old school” mind set and resolve several nagging problems with a new vision, leadership, and commitment.
Specifically:
TBARTA is fashioning a regional transportation plan to move people and goods within our 7 county region of Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota. Major corridors will connect our population centers.
Progress Energy will build a new power plant and is fashioning a regional plan to move electricity throughout our region. TECO is expanding their system and will likewise need a regional plan. Major corridors for their HIGH voltage lines will also supply our population center.
The TBARTA and Progress Energy corridors share the major elements of rights-of-way acquisition and use. When the rights-of-way are used for both transportation and utilities a number of benefits are realized.
Some of the more striking benefits are:
1. Fewer imminent domain takings and private property fights,
2. Improved public safety and health,
3. Improved acceptance and TRUST from our citizens,
4. Faster regulatory approvals of utility and transit systems,
5. Lower capital costs and public budgets,
6. Lower utility and user costs, and
7. Alternate revenue sources and sharing.
My view:
(1) our residents’ health, safety and quality of life must be assured, (2) our regional planning initiatives must establish efficiencies through enhanced land use strategies and by consolidating utility and transportation corridors, and (3) our local governments must take the lead in protecting our residents.
Specifically: new HIGH voltage (230KV and 500 KV) electric transmission lines must be co-located onto road rights-of-way. Progress Energy’s HIGH voltage lines from Tarpon Springs East to Polk County must be co-located along the major COMMERCIAL SR 54/56 road right-of-way to eliminate intrusion into RESIDENTIAL areas to its South.
This form of co-location, resource sharing, and non-tax based revenue generation is not new. However, our MPOs, TBARTA, Progress Energy, TECO, and BOCCs can adopt it as our highest form of proven Public - Private Partnership for transportation, land use, and utilities. It can save tax dollars, ensure our quality of life, and become the benchmark throughout the region and state.
Tom Aderhold,
Keystone Civic Association,
Progress Energy Community Working Group representing Hillsborough County, and Candidate, Hillsborough County Commission, District 2
www.tomaderhold.com, 813-968-6866
P.O. Box 271364, Tampa, FL 33688
taderhold@tomaderhold.com
Posted by: tom Aderhold | May 21, 2008 at 03:02 PM