JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- JEA is unveiling plans for a natural gas-fired power generating plant to be built in southeast Duval County.

A spokesman for the city-owned utility said the permitting process is under way for the two 175-megawatt turbines. They hope to break ground in 2009 and have the plant online the following year.

"It will use clean, efficient technology to enhance generation capacity and reliability," the JEA said in a statement.

JEA spent $24.2 million to acquire the property just south and west of the state Road 9A and the proposed 9B corridor. The facility is expected to cost $430 million to complete.

Unlike other recent power-generation projects, the JEA has no partners in this plant -- the electricity would be solely for JEA's use. Utility managers said that even with conservation efforts, population growth in the JEA service area requires between 70 and 100 additional megawatts each year.

JEA said the Southside location was chosen to increase reliability in case transmission lines across the St. Johns River was ever interrupted. No JEA generating station is located east of the river.

JEA host a town meeting about the new plant at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the auditorium of Mandarin High School, 4831 Greenland Road.

The utility's CEO, Jim Dickerson, project manager Mike Lawson, and City Council Member Art Graham will be available to answer questions about the new plant.