The Ten-Year Plan 



The 1980 "Ten-Year Plan" for Florida, prepared by the Florida Electric 

 Power Coordinating Group (1980), projects an annual statewide rural and resi- 

 dental user increase (in megawatt hours) of 3.8% annually through the 1980' s 

 (down from an annual increase of 6.4% in the 1970's), and an annual increase 

 of 3.6% for industrial users (down from 5.1%). Rapid residential growth in 

 Southwest Florida may result in a somewhat larger percent annual increase in 

 residential use of energy than for the State as a whole. Overall, the average 

 annual growth rate for the State in the 1970 's was 6.5%, but it is expected to 

 fall to 4.3% in the 1980' s. 



The amount of fuel oil used in Florida in the 1980' s will decline from 

 about 54% to 34%, and the amount of coal will increase from 17% to 47% (Flor- 

 ida Electric Power Coordinating Group 1980). The contribution of natural gas 

 is expected to decrease from 16% of the generated energy in 1979 to only about 

 1% at the end' of the decade. Because only one additional nuclear fueled gen- 

 erating unit (Saint Lucie) is expected to be in service in the 1980' s, the 

 percent contribution of nuclear energy to the State total is expected to 

 decrease (Florida Electric Power Coordinating Group 1980). 



Eight of the nine proposed additions to or changes in steam-powered 

 generating facilities in Southwest Florida in the 1980's will use coal as 

 fuel. The only light oil unit, a combination turbine generating unit, will be 

 put in service by the Florida Power Corporation in 1989. Three of the new 

 units will be located in Hillsborough County and one will be in Pinellas 

 County. The locations of the other five units have not yet been designated. 



The Florida "Ten-Year Plan" for electrical power generation and distribu- 

 tion forecasts a capability to meet all needs for Florida and Southwest 

 Florida. This capability is based on a complex network of intrastate and 

 interstate transfers. This projection is almost totally dependent on the 

 shipment of coal and oil from out-of-state sources. 



Telephone 



Three telephone companies serve Southwest Florida. The Southern Bell 

 Telephone and Telegraph Company (located in Miami) is the largest; it has 100 

 exchanges and 10% of the main stations and trucks (Florida Public Service Com- 

 mission 1981). The General Telephone Company of Florida (headquartered in 

 Tampa) is second largest; in 1980, it had 24 exchanges and 24% of the number 

 of main stations and trunks in the State. Southern Bell serves Monroe County 

 with exchanges at Key Largo, Key West, and Marathon. 



Of the 24 exchanges operated by the General Telephone Company of Florida, 

 18 are located in Southwest Florida (Florida Public Service Commission 1981). 

 Six are in Hillsborough County (Plant City, Tampa-central, Tampa-east, Tampa- 

 north, Tampa-south, and Tampa-west), two in Manatee County (Bradenton and 

 Palmetto), two in Pasco County (Hudson and Zephyrhills), three in Pinellas 

 County (Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tarpon Springs), and five in Sarasota 

 County (Englewood, Myakka, North Port, Sarasota, and Venice). 



The other two telephone companies serving Southwest Florida are the Flor- 

 ida Telephone Corporation and the United Telephone Company of Florida, both 



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