FPL Is Seeking $34M In Nuclear Costs

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MIAMI (CBSMiami/ NSF) --  Florida Power & Light is attempting to recover $34.2 million from customers as part of a plan to build nuclear reactors in Miami-Dade County, according to documents filed with the state Public Service Commission.

The proposal would have relatively little effect on homeowners' bills: A residential customer who uses 1,000 kilowatt hours a month of electricity would pay 34 cents to cover nuclear costs.

But charging customers for nuclear projects that would not generate electricity for years --- a practice allowed under a 2006 law --- has long been controversial.

In a filing last week with the Public Service Commission, the utility said the primary focus of its work at this point is to obtain federal, state and local approvals that would be needed to build the reactors at the Turkey Point complex.

The filing also argues that the project remains feasible and ultimately would save customers money because FPL would not spend as much on such things as natural gas to fuel power plants.

The filing said the addition of the reactors "will diversify FPL's fuel and generation mix, increasing the overall reliability of FPL's system, while significantly reducing carbon dioxide and other emissions.

Indeed, only nuclear generation can provide emission-free, baseload power."

(The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.)