What about energy efficiency?

Progress Energy Florida has one of the nation's best energy efficiency programs. Energy efficiency is very important to our customers and to Progress Energy, and it will continue to be a key part of meeting energy needs in the future. We practice energy efficiency in our business and help our customers take advantage of it. With growth in demand and population, energy efficiency by itself will not bridge the widening gap between production and need. Florida needs new power sources as well.

What about the role of wind, solar or other alternative energy sources?

Progress Energy is committed to building and operating a diverse and balanced mix of power generation alternatives, including natural gas, coal, oil and nuclear plants, as well as increasing the role of renewable sources of energy. While renewable sources such as wind and solar offer an exciting opportunity to augment our supply, they are also limited by climate and their need for abundant cleared land. A baseload generation plant must be capable of operating 24 hours a day to provide reliable electricity to our customers, and today, the most practical, efficient and proven options for this type of generation are coal and nuclear.

Why is Progress Energy not investing further in alternative energy?

Investing in new technologies and energy sources is important to our customers. Progress Energy is proud to be a leader in alternative energy. From our partnerships with operators of waste-to-energy plants and agricultural biomass facilities, to our support of high-tech research on hydrogen fuel cells, to our ongoing commitment to promoting and creating incentives for energy efficiency, we are committed to increasing the critical role of energy efficiency and alternative energy in years to come. These efforts are important and effective. However, given the enormous growth in demand, they do not eliminate the need for traditional power sources.