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Lakeland Electric outlines strategy on small modular reactors, data centers and grid flexibility
Summary
Emerging‑technology manager Mike Dammer briefed the committee on small modular reactors (SMRs), demonstration reactors, early‑site permitting, and the growing power needs of AI/data centers, and described partnerships with Florida Polytechnic and APPA to build in‑house capability and workforce pipelines.
Mike Dammer, Lakeland Electric’s emerging technology manager, told the Utility Committee that the utility is studying how to position itself for a range of future generation options — from small modular reactors (SMRs) to hydrogen, carbon capture and data‑center loads — and urged a phased, data‑driven approach rather than a single large up‑front push.
Dammer emphasized flexibility: pursuing feasibility and early‑site permitting steps that preserve options without locking the utility to a particular reactor design. He cited example capital figures to illustrate scale and risk: a Gen‑4 300‑MW estimate (mentioned in the briefing) of about $5.4 billion and the Vogtle project’s much larger cost escalation (the presentation compared an early $14 billion estimate with later reported figures around $35 billion) to show why phased approaches, partnerships and alternative finance options matter.
On SMRs and demonstration reactors, Dammer described advances in safety (including TRISO fuel and passive containment concepts) and noted that many advanced designs remain at demonstration stage. He said TerraPower, X Energy and Kairos Power are among firms running demonstration programs; timelines cited in the briefing put some demonstration‑to‑commercial targets in the early 2030s, but Dammer stressed that those schedules are uncertain.
Dammer also highlighted planning for growing data‑center demand, saying trade estimates project roughly 50 gigawatts of additional domestic load by 2030 tied to AI and large data centers. He urged early engagement with prospective data‑center customers, partnerships on microgrid and on‑site generation options, and workforce development through Florida Polytechnic capstone projects and other local training collaborations.
Next steps described in the briefing include pursuing an APPA DEED grant to build in‑house capability for feasibility and early‑site permitting work, continued modeling with the Energy Authority and sustained engagement with regional utilities and regulators to identify efficiencies and shared data resources.
The presentation generated questions from committee members about commissioning timelines for local generation units, supply‑chain constraints for equipment (transformers, turbines), and potential timelines for procuring replacement combined‑cycle units; staff said long lead times and backlog were important constraints.
