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COPYRIGHT 2001 The Miami Herald
Byline: Gregg Fields
May 28--While the California power crisis has raised concerns over the power supply in Florida, some experts say a more challenging shortage for the state isn't with electricity but, rather, the lines it travels on.
By most estimates, the electrical grid that delivers power from utilities to users is too small and woefully lacking in connections to potentially vital backup supplies in other states.
"Common sense tells you it's 40 to 50 years old and has not been upgraded or expanded due to environmental reasons," says Walter Revell, chairman of the Florida Energy 2020 Study Commission, a blue-ribbon panel appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush to study the state's power needs. "They need to repair the system, upgrade the system and expand the system."
In fact, major change is coming, thanks to a powerful federal mandate, but not everyone is sure the plan addresses the state's long-term needs.
It's called GridFlorida.
GridFlorida is being created by the state's big investor-owned utilities -- Florida Power & Light, Florida Power and Tampa Electric -- under pressure from the federal government. It's a result of Washington's moves toward...
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