Parrish, Florida -- Florida Power and Light broke ground Thursday on three new solar power plants in Florida, tripling the amount of solar energy used in the state.
The ceremony took place at the future site of the Manatee Solar Energy Center in Parrish. The three plants will use more than 1 million solar panels combined. FPL officials says when stacked end to end there are enough solar panels to stretch from Florida to Chicago.
"It's a huge amount of power and it generates electricity without using any water. Of course on a day like today it works beautifully. This is part of an overall portfolio of clean energy that helps us provide affordable reliable power for customers around the clock," says. Eric Silagy, FPL President and CEO.
The three sites will bring 250 construction jobs to the area. The other solar energy plants are in Desoto and Charlotte counties.
