7.3.09 | Fort Meyers, FL | FPL Group Inc's utility Florida Power & Light is working with the realty group Kitson & Partners to construct what the utility says will be the world's largest photovoltaic solar plant in a planned, environmentally friendly city near Fort Myers in southwestern Florida.

Kitson & Partners announces it will build a planned city near Fort Meyers with 19,500 homes, offices, retail shops, and light industry. Its electricity will come from the world’s largest solar voltaic power plant, a $300 million, 75-megawatt plant to be built on-site by Florida Power &  Light.

The planned city, ­Babcock Ranch­, will include a smart grid to let residents monitor and adjust their energy consumptions. In addition to having its electricity generated from solar energy, the entire city is expected to have wireless Internet access and electric-car chargers.Construction of the city center is scheduled to begin in June 2010, with the first residential and commercial buildings targeted for late 2010.