Slide presented in PSC’s workshop on nuclear power on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo from Electric Power Research Institute)
Could an increase in nuclear power generation be a part of Florida’s energy future?
That possibility was discussed Thursday during a workshop held by the Florida Public Service Commission in Tallahassee under a legislative directive passed earlier this year about the possibility of using advanced nuclear technologies.
At present, natural gas fuels approximately 75% of all energy consumed in Florida, a larger proportion from one source than in any other state.
“You realize there’s no other region of the country that’s any more than 50% dependent on natural gas, so Florida sticks out like a sore thumb,” said Jacob Williams, chairman of the Florida Electric Power Coordinating Group, representing an array of public and private generating companies.
“We are the most dependent on any basically single source of electricity,” he continued, noting that the price of natural gas has led to increased energy costs for most Floridians and adding that “anything that we can do to moderate that would be wise going forward.”