The board of the US state of Florida’s municipal utility, JEA (the Jacksonville Electric Authority), has unanimously approved a plan to construct a new combined cycle natural gas facility with an estimated investment of $1.57bn.
The facility will be located at the former St Johns River Power Park site in Jacksonville, Florida.
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With a proposed capacity of up to 675MW, the new facility will provide electricity to 300,000 homes.
The board has authorised CEO and managing director Vickie Cavey to finalise and sign an agreement with GE Vernova by the end of August 2025, securing JEA’s slot in the manufacturer’s production schedule.
The project will bolster system reliability and address northeast Florida’s increasing energy requirements resulting from the growing population.
The proposed plant is intended to replace the ageing Northside Generation Station Unit 3, a 48-year-old natural gas unit, which JEA plans to retire by 2031.
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By GlobalDataThe retirement is motivated by the unit’s costly repairs and the need for further investment to comply with environmental regulations.
JEA board chair Joseph DiSalvo stated: “We have to be able to deliver reliable energy to everyone, all JEA customers. The risk is unacceptable if we punt combined cycle down the road. My personal view is that the risk isn’t worth it.”
The development follows several recommendations by JEA to replace Northside Unit 3 with a combined cycle plant, as outlined in its Integrated Resource Plan in 2023.
JEA’s establishment of a combined cycle plant promises comprehensive management of power generation and cost-effective energy production, alongside boosting the local economy with new jobs and offering a debt-free facility after three decades.
This development will enhance gas efficiency by 30% above the current performance of Northside Generating Station Unit 3.
