Florida Gov. might allow new coal power plants

By Timothy Gardner

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Florida's Gov. Charlie Crist said he does not want new coal power plants built in his state because of their greenhouse gas emissions, but stopped short of ruling out new plants fired by the fuel.

"I'm not a coal fan, I'm just not. I really don't want it in Florida," Crist told the Reuters Environment Summit via telephone late on Tuesday.

Still, Crist said the state's heavy energy demand means that if coal plants can be proven to be clean "then, perhaps" new plants could be built. "There is some flexion there, but bottom line, I'm not a coal fan."

Plans for two Florida coal-fired power plants were ditched this summer amid concerns about global warming. Coal is the fuel that releases the most carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas.

In July a group of Florida utilities halted plans to build a $2 billion 800 megawatt conventional coal-fired power plant, saying the decision gave them time to consider how to meet electricity needs in light of growing greenhouse gas concerns.

In June, the Florida Public Service Commission denied a proposal by FPL Group Inc.'s (FPL.N) Florida Power & Light Co. subsidiary to build a $5.7 billion, 1,960 MW coal-fired power station in Glades County.

"We rejected the one they wanted to put right next to the Everglades, so I think that makes a pretty strong statement," said Crist.

The governor laid out in June initiatives for power companies in the state, the country's fourth most populous, to generate 20 percent of their power from renewable sources, focusing on wind and solar power.