EXHIBIT 99.(c)
[GRAPHIC OMITTED]
Florida Power Corporation
News Release
Corporate Relations Department, St. Petersburg, Florida

Contact: Karen Raihill (813) 866-5023


                    FLORIDA POWER CORPORATION ASKS TO RECOVER
                                HIGHER FUEL COSTS


         St. Petersburg, FL (January 14, 1997) -- Florida Power Corporation is
seeking an increase in the fuel expense portion of customer bills, mainly due to
an extended maintenance outage at the Crystal River nuclear plant.

         The average 1,000-kilowatt-hour bill for residential customers would
increase from $83.39 to $88.65, effective April 1. This increase is subject to
approval by the Florida Public Service Commission.

         This additional fuel charge represents the fuel cost of replacement
power to make up for the nuclear plant being out of service. It also reflects
higher oil and natural gas prices.

         Fuel expense charges are a direct "pass-through" item on customer
bills, which means Florida Power does not earn any profit or mark-up on these
amounts.

         Florida Power's replacement power fuel costs are approximately $10
million a month. This includes the cost of running more expensive generation
such as the company's peaker power plants that operate on distillate oil, and
purchasing power from other utilities.

         "We are very sensitive, of course, to increases for our customers. To
lessen the impact, we are asking that these fuel costs be spread out over a 12-
month period instead of the customary six," said Joe Richardson, president and
chief operating officer of Florida Power.

         "We are working diligently to return the nuclear plant to service. The
impact to bills is higher than we would like. However, we believe the steps we
are taking will reduce costs to our customers in the long term by ensuring the
plant resumes its strong performance record," Richardson said.



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         During the nuclear outage, Florida Power will resolve design issues
aimed at improving plant equipment safety operating margins. The company is
holding regular technical review meetings between its nuclear restart team and
one created by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

         The primary issue involves addressing electrical loading on one of the
plant's two emergency diesel generators. The generators would supply power to
the emergency core cooling system in the event there is a loss of off-site
electricity.

         Company management is reviewing possible options to resolve the loading
issue. Under any of the alternatives, the company's nuclear engineers have
determined that resolving the generator issue will extend the outage beyond the
original restart date of February 28.

         The most probable option that has been identified involves upgrading
the diesel generator to increase its loading capacity and then having the
manufacturer of the diesel generator modify and rerate the generator's maximum
loading to approximately 4,100 KW from its current 3,500 KW rating.

         If preliminary tests to be completed in April indicate the
modifications and a higher rating are achievable, the company would expect the
nuclear plant to restart during the fourth quarter of 1997.

         Fuel costs are reviewed twice a year by the Public Service Commission.
These costs take into account actual figures for the previous six months, as
well as projected costs for the next six months. A "true-up" of these costs is
included in any change to the fuel charge. Changes take effect every six-month
period, starting on April 1 and October 1.

         The Commission will hold fuel adjustment hearings on February 19-21 for
all of the state's investor-owned utilities.

         Florida Power, the state's second-largest electric utility, is the
principal subsidiary of St. Petersburg-based Florida Progress Corporation
(NYSE:FPC) and serves 1.3 million customers in central and northern Florida.

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