Local power plant brightens the holidays for families in need

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 16, 2011 – The holidays will be a little brighter for families served by a Central Florida food bank thanks to a holiday surprise from three companies involved with a local power plant.

Central Florida Community BreadBasket received $3,000 to support its food assistance and community outreach programs. The BreadBasket is based in Intercession City, Fla., and serves more than 1,200 hungry, homeless and needy families each day.

The donation was provided by the co-owners of Cane Island Power Park, the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) and Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA), along with Zachry Industrial Incorporated, the construction contractor for the site’s newest generator. This is the fourth year the companies have supported the Community BreadBasket. In 2010, 14 businesses including Zachry, FMPA, KUA and local construction contractors, completed an extreme makeover-style rebuild of an expanded food distribution facility and community center for the Community BreadBasket.  The new space allowed the BreadBasket to handle increased needs for food assistance and provide space to expand youth and senior outreach programs as well as other community programs.

“The Community BreadBasket is a perfect example of neighbors helping neighbors, a value that we believe in,” said FMPA General Manager and CEO Nicholas P. Guarriello. “We hope this donation will brighten the holidays for those in need in our community.”

“This contribution by KUA and its partners will go a long way in helping needy families, especially during these difficult times when so many are struggling to meet basic needs,” said KUA President & General Manager Jim Welsh. “We are happy to step in and offer our help with the hope that no one goes hungry this holiday season and beyond.”

“The concept of giving back has guided Zachry’s community involvement for more than eight decades,” said Zachry Manager of Community Relations Janet Jackson. “The connections we make as neighbors unite our communities together. At Zachry, our desire is to improve the quality of life in the communities where our employees and their families live and work.”

The power plant’s newest generator, known as Cane Island Unit 4, was dedicated Aug. 24, 2011. The natural gas-fueled unit generates 300 megawatts, enough electricity to serve approximately 60,000 homes. Featuring highly efficient power generation technology and advanced environmental controls, Cane Island Unit 4 is among the cleanest, most efficient plants of its kind.

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Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a wholesale power company owned by 30 municipal electric utilities. FMPA provides economies of scale in power generation and related services to support community-owned electric utilities. The members of FMPA serve approximately two million Floridians.