SGR Holdings, L.L.C. and FPL Group Resources LLC, a
subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE:FPL), announced today that they
have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly construct, own
and operate the Southern Pines Energy Center, a new salt-dome natural
gas storage project to be located in Greene County, Mississippi.
Construction of the Southern Pines Energy Center is expected to
begin in late summer of 2005, with the first phase of commercial
operations expected to begin late in the first quarter of 2007.
All major federal and state permits required for the construction
of the initial phases of the Southern Pines Energy Center have been
obtained. Southern Pines is currently authorized to provide 12 billion
cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas storage capacity on an open-access
basis at market-based rates subject to authorizations that have been
granted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Once
completed, the project will be capable of withdrawals of up to 1.2 Bcf
and injections of up to 0.6 Bcf of natural gas per day. The agreement
provides for the expansion of the Southern Pines facility to a total
capacity of 16 Bcf.
Southern Pines is currently authorized to interconnect with Destin
Pipeline Company, LLC, and expects to add additional interconnects
with Florida Gas Transmission Company, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Corporation, and Gulfstream Natural Gas System, LLC. Southern Pines
will also offer indirect access to the Southern Natural Gas Company,
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, and Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP
systems.
According to A.J. (Tony) Clark, a principal of SGR Holdings, "We
are excited to have the opportunity to partner with FPL Group. We
believe that the Southern Pines Energy Center will be a critically
important means of ensuring that the Southeast continues to have
reliable access to adequate natural gas supplies to meet growing
weather-sensitive demand."
Brad Williams, vice president of gas projects for FPL Group
Resources said, "The Southern Pines project will add another important
element of the energy value chain to FPL Group's portfolio that will
provide supply security and flexibility to customers."
"As our nation's natural gas markets experience increasing
volatility, pipelines, utilities, suppliers and end users should all
benefit from the reliability, flexibility, and daily balancing that
Southern Pines will provide," said Mark D. Cook, a principal of SGR
Holdings. "With its multiple direct pipeline interconnections and its
proximity to proposed LNG import facilities along the Gulf Coast, the
Southern Pines Energy Center is ideally located to become a supply and
storage market hub serving the southeastern, mid-Atlantic and
northeastern United States."
The Southern Pines Energy Center is currently offering prospective
customers the opportunity to contract for storage capacity, injection
rights, and deliverability under firm storage service agreements
governed by the company's FERC Gas Tariff. Southern Pines has a
limited quantity of storage capacity available for the first quarter
of 2007. Expressions of interest in Southern Pines service should be
directed to SGR Holdings' Mark D. Cook, at (713) 914-8187, or
mdcook@sgr-holdings.com.
SGR Holdings, L.L.C., a privately held Houston-based company,
develops, owns, and operates high-deliverability, salt cavern natural
gas storage facilities. Prior to SGR Holdings' formation, the
company's management led the Market Hub Partners group from its
creation in 1994 to its attainment of industry-recognized status as
the largest owner/operator of salt cavern natural gas storage
facilities in the United States. Further information concerning SGR
Holdings is available on the Internet at http://www.sgr-holdings.com.
FPL Group, with annual revenues of more than $10 billion, is
nationally known as a high quality, efficient, and customer-driven
organization focused on energy-related products and services. With a
growing presence in 26 states, it is widely recognized as one of the
country's premier power companies. Its principal subsidiary, Florida
Power & Light Company, serves more than 4.2 million customer accounts
in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, an FPL Group wholesale electricity
generating subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean
and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the
Internet at http://www.FPLGroup.com, http://www.FPL.com and
http://www.FPLEnergy.com.
Additional Information on GEXA Transaction
FPL Group has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (File No.
333-124438), including a proxy statement of Gexa Corp. ("Gexa") and
FPL Group's prospectus and other relevant documents with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") concerning the proposed
transaction. You are urged to read the registration statement
containing the proxy statement/prospectus (including all amendments
and supplements) and any other relevant documents filed or that will
be filed with the SEC because they contain or will contain important
information about FPL Group, GEXA and the proposed transaction. You
may obtain the registration statement containing the proxy
statement/prospectus and the other documents, as well as other filings
containing information about FPL Group and Gexa, free of charge at the
SEC's web site, www.sec.gov. In addition, they may also be obtained
for free from FPL Group by directing a request to FPL Group, Inc. 700
Universe Blvd., Juno Beach, Florida, 33408, Attention: Investor
Relations and from GEXA by directing a request to GEXA Corp., 20
Greenway Plaza, Suite 600, Houston, Texas, 77046, Attention: Dave
Holeman. FPL Group, GEXA and their respective directors and executive
officers and other members of management and employees, may be deemed
to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the
stockholders of GEXA in connection with the transaction. Information
about the direct or indirect interests of FPL Group is set forth in
its report on Schedule 13D filed with the SEC. Information about the
directors and executive officers of FPL Group is set forth in its
proxy statement for its 2005 annual meeting of shareholders and its
annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 2004 and
information about the directors and executive officers of GEXA and
their ownership of GEXA stock is set forth in the report on Form
10-K/A of GEXA filed April 29, 2005, the ownership reports of such
persons on Schedule 13D and Forms 3 and 4 filed with the SEC and in
the registration statement and the proxy statement/prospectus. You may
obtain additional information regarding the interests of such
potential participants by reading the proxy statement/prospectus and
other relevant documents filed with the SEC.
Cautionary Statements and Risk Factors That May Affect Future
Results
In connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (Reform Act), FPL Group, Inc.
(FPL Group) and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) are hereby filing
cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause
FPL Group's or FPL's actual results to differ materially from those
projected in forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in
the Reform Act) made by or on behalf of FPL Group and FPL in this
press release, in presentations, in response to questions or
otherwise. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to
expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events
or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or
phrases such as will likely result, are expected to, will continue, is
anticipated, believe, could, estimated, may, plan, potential,
projection, target, outlook) are not statements of historical facts
and may be forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve
estimates, assumptions and uncertainties. Accordingly, any such
statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to, and are
accompanied by, the following important factors (in addition to any
assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection
with such forward-looking statements) that could cause FPL Group's or
FPL's actual results to differ materially from those contained in
forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of FPL Group and FPL.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which
such statement is made, and FPL Group and FPL undertake no obligation
to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or
circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge
from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all
of such factors, nor can it assess the impact of each such factor on
the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of
factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those
contained in any forward-looking statement.
The following are some important factors that could have a
significant impact on FPL Group's and FPL's operations and financial
results, and could cause FPL Group's and FPL's actual results or
outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the
forward-looking statements:
-- FPL Group and FPL are subject to changes in laws or
regulations, including the Public Utility Regulatory Policies
Act of 1978, as amended (PURPA), the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 1935, as amended (Holding Company Act), the
Federal Power Act, the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended
and certain sections of the Florida statutes relating to
public utilities, changing governmental policies and
regulatory actions, including those of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Florida Public Service
Commission (FPSC) and the utility commissions of other states
in which FPL Group has operations, and the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC), with respect to, among other
things, allowed rates of return, industry and rate structure,
operation of nuclear power facilities, operation and
construction of plant facilities, operation and construction
of transmission facilities, acquisition, disposal,
depreciation and amortization of assets and facilities,
recovery of fuel and purchased power costs, decommissioning
costs, return on common equity (ROE) and equity ratio limits,
and present or prospective wholesale and retail competition
(including but not limited to retail wheeling and transmission
costs). The FPSC has the authority to disallow recovery by FPL
of any and all costs that it considers excessive or
imprudently incurred.
-- The regulatory process generally restricts FPL's ability to
grow earnings and does not provide any assurance as to
achievement of earnings levels.
-- FPL Group and FPL are subject to extensive federal, state and
local environmental statutes, rules and regulations relating
to air quality, water quality, waste management, wildlife
mortality, natural resources and health and safety that could,
among other things, restrict or limit the output of certain
facilities or the use of certain fuels required for the
production of electricity and/or require additional pollution
control equipment and otherwise increase costs. There are
significant capital, operating and other costs associated with
compliance with these environmental statutes, rules and
regulations, and those costs could be even more significant in
the future.
-- FPL Group and FPL operate in a changing market environment
influenced by various legislative and regulatory initiatives
regarding deregulation, regulation or restructuring of the
energy industry, including deregulation of the production and
sale of electricity. FPL Group and its subsidiaries will need
to adapt to these changes and may face increasing competitive
pressure.
-- FPL Group's and FPL's results of operations could be affected
by FPL's ability to renegotiate franchise agreements with
municipalities and counties in Florida.
-- The operation of power generation facilities involves many
risks, including start up risks, breakdown or failure of
equipment, transmission lines or pipelines, use of new
technology, the dependence on a specific fuel source or the
impact of unusual or adverse weather conditions (including
natural disasters such as hurricanes), as well as the risk of
performance below expected or contracted levels of output or
efficiency. This could result in lost revenues and/or
increased expenses. Insurance, warranties or performance
guarantees may not cover any or all of the lost revenues or
increased expenses, including the cost of replacement power.
In addition to these risks, FPL Group's and FPL's nuclear
units face certain risks that are unique to the nuclear
industry including the ability to store and/or dispose of
spent nuclear fuel, as well as additional regulatory actions
up to and including shutdown of the units stemming from public
safety concerns, whether at FPL Group's and FPL's plants, or
at the plants of other nuclear operators. Breakdown or failure
of an FPL Energy, LLC (FPL Energy) operating facility may
prevent the facility from performing under applicable power
sales agreements which, in certain situations, could result in
termination of the agreement or incurring a liability for
liquidated damages.
-- FPL Group's and FPL's ability to successfully and timely
complete their power generation facilities currently under
construction, those projects yet to begin construction or
capital improvements to existing facilities is contingent upon
many variables and subject to substantial risks. Should any
such efforts be unsuccessful, FPL Group and FPL could be
subject to additional costs, termination payments under
committed contracts, and/or the write-off of their investment
in the project or improvement.
-- FPL Group and FPL use derivative instruments, such as swaps,
options, futures and forwards to manage their commodity and
financial market risks, and to a lesser extent, engage in
limited trading activities. FPL Group could recognize
financial losses as a result of volatility in the market
values of these contracts, or if a counterparty fails to
perform. In the absence of actively quoted market prices and
pricing information from external sources, the valuation of
these derivative instruments involves management's judgment or
use of estimates. As a result, changes in the underlying
assumptions or use of alternative valuation methods could
affect the reported fair value of these contracts. In
addition, FPL's use of such instruments could be subject to
prudency challenges and if found imprudent, cost recovery
could be disallowed by the FPSC.
-- There are other risks associated with FPL Energy. In addition
to risks discussed elsewhere, risk factors specifically
affecting FPL Energy's success in competitive wholesale
markets include the ability to efficiently develop and operate
generating assets, the successful and timely completion of
project restructuring activities, maintenance of the
qualifying facility status of certain projects, the price and
supply of fuel, transmission constraints, competition from new
sources of generation, excess generation capacity and demand
for power. There can be significant volatility in market
prices for fuel and electricity, and there are other
financial, counterparty and market risks that are beyond the
control of FPL Energy. FPL Energy's inability or failure to
effectively hedge its assets or positions against changes in
commodity prices, interest rates, counterparty credit risk or
other risk measures could significantly impair FPL Group's
future financial results. In keeping with industry trends, a
portion of FPL Energy's power generation facilities operate
wholly or partially without long-term power purchase
agreements. As a result, power from these facilities is sold
on the spot market or on a short-term contractual basis, which
may affect the volatility of FPL Group's financial results. In
addition, FPL Energy's business depends upon transmission
facilities owned and operated by others; if transmission is
disrupted or capacity is inadequate or unavailable, FPL
Energy's ability to sell and deliver its wholesale power may
be limited.
-- FPL Group is likely to encounter significant competition for
acquisition opportunities that may become available as a
result of the consolidation of the power industry. In
addition, FPL Group may be unable to identify attractive
acquisition opportunities at favorable prices and to
successfully and timely complete and integrate them.
-- FPL Group and FPL rely on access to capital markets as a
significant source of liquidity for capital requirements not
satisfied by operating cash flows. The inability of FPL Group,
FPL Group Capital Inc (FPL Group Capital) and FPL to maintain
their current credit ratings could affect their ability to
raise capital on favorable terms, particularly during times of
uncertainty in the capital markets, which, in turn, could
impact FPL Group's and FPL's ability to grow their businesses
and would likely increase interest costs.
-- FPL Group's and FPL's results of operations are affected by
changes in the weather. Weather conditions directly influence
the demand for electricity and natural gas and affect the
price of energy commodities, and can affect the production of
electricity at wind and hydro-powered facilities.
-- FPL Group's and FPL's results of operations can be affected by
the impact of severe weather which can be destructive, causing
outages and/or property damage, and could require additional
costs to be incurred. Recovery of these costs is subject to
FPSC approval.
-- FPL Group and FPL are subject to costs and other effects of
legal and administrative proceedings, settlements,
investigations and claims, as well as the effect of new, or
changes in, tax laws, rates or policies, rates of inflation,
accounting standards, securities laws or corporate governance
requirements.
-- FPL Group and FPL are subject to direct and indirect effects
of terrorist threats and activities. Generation and
transmission facilities, in general, have been identified as
potential targets. The effects of terrorist threats and
activities include, among other things, terrorist actions or
responses to such actions or threats, the inability to
generate, purchase or transmit power, the risk of a
significant slowdown in growth or a decline in the U.S.
economy, delay in economic recovery in the United States, and
the increased cost and adequacy of security and insurance.
-- FPL Group's and FPL's ability to obtain insurance, and the
cost of and coverage provided by such insurance, could be
affected by national, state or local events as well as
company-specific events.
-- FPL Group and FPL are subject to employee workforce factors,
including loss or retirement of key executives, availability
of qualified personnel, collective bargaining agreements with
union employees or work stoppage.
The issues and associated risks and uncertainties described above
are not the only ones FPL Group and FPL may face. Additional issues
may arise or become material as the energy industry evolves. The risks
and uncertainties associated with these additional issues could impair
FPL Group's and FPL's businesses in the future.
Note to Editors: High-resolution logos and executive head shots
are available for download at
http://www.fpl.com/news/contents/logos.shtml .
SOURCE: FPL Group
SGR Holdings, Houston
Mark D. Cook, 713-914-8187
or
FPL Group Resources, Juno Beach
Steve Stengel, 888-867-3050