Residents have a chance to have their comments put into public record during a meeting tonight at the Palmetto Club in FishHawk Ranch. This public hearing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on June 25, 2013, at the Palmetto Club, 17004 Dorman Road, Lithia, Florida. The meeting, is just before a rescheduled certification hearing on application to construct and operate an electrical power plant on a site located in Polk County, Florida that will take place on June 26, 10 a.m. at the Bartow Civic Center.
Application Number 92-32A3 for certification to authorize construction and operation of the Polk 2-5 Combined Cycle Conversion Project, consisting of the conversion of the existing Polk Units 2-5 combustion turbines to a 1,160-megawatt (MW) combined-cycled generating unit, to be located at Tampa Electric Company’s existing Polk Power Station in Polk County, Florida, and an approximately 27-mile 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line corridor from the site to Tampa Electric Company’s Mines Substation in western Hillsborough County and then to the Fishhawk Substation, and approximately 5.5 miles of upgrades to the existing 230-kV transmission line from Polk to Pebbledale Substation, was filed with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on Oct. 4, 2012. The case is pending before the Division of Administrative Hearings, Case Number 12-3369, prior to action by the governor and Cabinet pursuant to the Florida Electrical Power Plant Siting Act, Chapter 403, Part II, Florida Statutes.
Pursuant to an order issued by Administrative Law Judge Bram D.E. Canter on June 5, 2012, the certification hearing previously scheduled to begin on June 24, 2013, has been rescheduled. The certification hearing will now begin on
June 26, 2013, at 10 a.m., or as soon thereafter as can be heard. The location of the hearing is the Bartow Civic Center, 2250 South Floral Avenue, Bartow, Polk County, Florida. The purpose of the hearing is to take written or oral testimony on the effects of the proposed electrical power plant, directly associated transmission lines, and other associated facilities, or any other matter appropriate to the consideration of the site, the transmission line corridors, and associated facilities. The Florida Public Service Commission has previously determined the need for the facility at a separate hearing, and need will not be an issue at this hearing. The hearing is open to the public, and interested persons may speak during the hearing at a time established by the administrative law judge. It is anticipated that the hearing will be concluded on June 26, 2013.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Florida Electrical Power Plant Siting Act, Hillsborough County requested that a public hearing be held in Hillsborough County during which members of the public who are not parties to the Tampa Electric Company Polk Power Station 2-5 Combined Cycle Conversion Project Site Certification Hearing may testify on the Polk-Fishhawk proposed transmission line corridor that traverses Hillsborough County. This public hearing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on June 25, 2013, at the Palmetto Club, 17004 Dorman Road, Lithia, Florida. All persons testifying at this public hearing will do so under oath and are subject to cross examination.
Previously published in Osprey Observer.
DEP Schedules Hearing In Polk County For FishHawk TECO Power Lines
By Tamas Mondovics
FishHawk Ranch and Channing Park residents, not afraid of a little drive, will have a chance to get their voices heard in connection with TECO’s plans to install transmission lines through their neighborhood during an upcoming meeting hosted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The agency reportedly scheduled a meeting at the Bartow Civic Center where residents may make public comments and share their opinions about the project, which involves the proposal to run a portion of a brand new 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, above ground, on TECO owned land, between FishHawk Ranch and Channing Park.
The new lines are said to run on electric poles that will stand 90 to 120 ft. above ground within 100 yards from many residents’ homes.
The full scale project is a 40-mile expansion from the power plant in southwestern Polk County to the FishHawk Substation, located at 19306 Boyette Rd., in southeastern Hillsborough County.
TECO’s plans also include the building of a substation near Balm Boyette Rd. and Aspen Ave. in Hillsborough County.
Energy company officials said that a 10-mile portion of an existing 230-kV transmission line in the Pierce and Bradley areas of Polk County also would need to be relocated to improve reliability, with a possible completion by 2017.
According to recent reports, the need of the expansion and proposed routing of the lines has been established and approved by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC).
During an earlier meeting held by FishHawk area residents, homeowners were urged to testify before the PSC and to follow through with the meticulous registration process.
Channing Park resident, Christie VanVleet, who was spearheading the effort with some help from her husband Jason and a handful of fellow residents against the project, has launched a Facebook page, “Stop Power Lines NOW,” but said she is unsure about the community’s success of its fight against the energy giant.
As reported by TBO.com, the meeting is scheduled to take place at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 24 at the Bartow Civic Center, 2250 S. Flora Ave. in Polk County.
For more information about the proposed transmission lines please visit www.tampaelectric.com/polktofishhawk or visit the Facebook page “Stop Power Lines NOW.”
