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Jump Start: The business week ahead

Highlights of the coming week in business

By Times Staff
Published January 7, 2008

When Citizens Property Insurance calls a meeting of its finance and investment committee, typically you'd be lucky to get a handful of listeners. Not now. Today's 8:30 a.m. meeting in Tallahassee (anyone can listen in by calling toll-free 1-888-277-7951) will likely address the health of a major local government fund managed by the state. Not only is Citizens the single largest investor in the troubled fund, it is exposed to troubled securities in a fund managed by the State Board of Administration. More than $560-million of Citizens' assets are exposed to securities that have defaulted, missed interest payments or have been downgraded. Citizens has pulled $282-million to reduce its exposure.

Hearings begin this week on Florida Power & Light's plans to build two nuclear reactors at their Turkey Point power station. Key issues: Are the plants necessary and the most cost-effective option for Floridians? Oral arguments begin today on the right of several small utilities to intervene in the $12-billion to $18-billion project. Several electric cooperatives and municipal utilities want Florida Power & Light to negotiate with them for a share of the reactors. On Wednesday, the hearings move to Miami, where a public meeting will be held on FP&L's plans. Hearings are scheduled to continue through early February, and the commission is slated to make its decision this spring.

The Tampa Bay Technology Forum is launching Tech Tuesday on ... well, Tuesday. The "nonprogram" event will feature drink specials, complimentary appetizers and networking time with movers and shakers in the local tech community. The event is at Splitsville, 615 Channelside Drive, Suite 112, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Registration is required. For more information, visit www.tbtf.org/.

Matthew Carter takes the helm on Tuesday as the chairman of the Florida Public Service Commission. Carter was appointed to a four-year term in 2006 by then-Gov. Jeb Bush. Carter is a Baptist pastor, lawyer and U.S. Army veteran. He's also written a book,The 90 Percent Rule - How to Get Out of Debt and Prosper and Why It's Important.

BARRY DILLER fans can tune in at 3:10 p.m. Tuesday to hear the chairman and CEO of IAC/InterActiveCorp deliver a one-hour presentation to investors at the Citicorp annual Media, Entertainment and Telecommunications Conference in Phoenix. IAC is best known locally as the parent company of St. Petersburg's HSN. Go to www.iac.com and click on the "Investors" section for more information or to listen in.

[Last modified January 4, 2008, 20:37:40]