Treasure Coast Energy Center marks five years of reliable, efficient, clean operations

FORT PIERCE, Fla., May 31, 2013 – Electric customers in 14 Florida cities enjoyed more reliable, affordable electricity thanks, in part, to a power plant in Fort Pierce, Fla.

The plant, known as Treasure Coast Energy Center, marks its five-year anniversary of operation today. This natural gas-fueled power plant generates 300 megawatts, enough electricity to serve approximately 60,000 homes in the 14 communities served by the Florida Municipal Power Agency(FMPA) All-Requirements Project. The plant is operated under contract by Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA).

Since beginning commercial operation in 2008, the plant has consistently exceeded expectations for reliability, efficiency and environmental responsibility. Its accomplishments include:

• Producing 8.6 million megawatt-hours of electricity.
• Operating 98% of the time it has been available for service. Treasure Coast is a “workhorse” in FMPA’s generation fleet, thanks to its low cost and high reliability.
• Having a forced outage factor of 0.5%, with only 219.5 hours of forced repairs in the past five years.
• Ranking as the fourth cleanest plant of its kind in the nation, according to a study published by Electric Light & Power Magazine in January 2012.
• Contributing to a reduction in wholesale power costs. Investments in modern, high-efficiency plants, like Treasure Coast, along with lower market prices for natural gas and an enhanced fuel-buying strategy, have allowed FMPA to decrease the cost of wholesale power by 23% between 2009 and 2012.

“Treasure Coast Energy Center has proven to be a great investment for our member cities and the customers they serve, thanks to its exceptional reliability and efficiency,” said FMPA General Manager and CEO Nicholas P. Guarriello.

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Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a wholesale power company owned by 31 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.