News & Public Affairs

PSC approves nuclear, solar power plants listen

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Tags: Energy, nuclear power, solar power

Today, Florida’s utilities regulatory agency granted Progress Energy unanimous approval for two new nuclear power plants in Levy County. The Public Service Commission (PSC) also granted approval to Florida Power & Light to begin construction of three solar energy centers. If they’re built, the two nuclear plants would be located about 10 miles north of Crystal River.

Cherie Jacobs, spokesperson for Progress Energy Florida, said that the company has not yet made its final decision to build...

Effect of oil drilling in the gulf

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Tags: Energy, oil drilling, pollution, environment

As John McCain and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist change positions and call for expanded offshore oil and gas drilling, we look at the environmental consequences.

Anthony Amos is an instructor at the Marine Science Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas. For 30 years, he has observed the effect of deep-sea oil drilling along the Texas coast. In this interview he described the range of pollution he's observed.

Progress Energy seeks approval for rate hike listen

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Tags: Energy, electricity

On Friday, St. Petersburg-based Progress Energy Florida is expected to ask state regulators to be allowed to increase power bills to make up for rising costs for oil and coal. Progress Energy is also paying more for electricity it buys from other utilities.

C.J. Drake is a spokesman for Progress Energy.

The Energy Department says power plants are paying 54 percent more for fuel oil, 33 percent more for natural gas and 6 percent more for coal, on a national level.

If the Public Ser...