CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- You'll pay the power company plenty to keep warm in this dangerous freeze, but Florida Power and Light customers are also paying millions to keep endangered manatees warm at its Cape Canaveral power plant.
FP&L says it has no choice; state permits require the so-called "manatee spa."
Experts say, on a very cold night, perhaps 1,000 manatees, one-fifth of Florida's total population may stay alive in the warm water of the cove near FP&L. The plant has discharged warm water manatees need to survive this time of year for five decades.
Edward Jones was the long-time plant manager.
"We call it the manatee spa," he told WFTV.
But the plant, which discharged that critical warm water as a byproduct, was leveled this past August. So, for the three winter seasons before a new, modern plant is built, FP&L has installed a $4.7 million water heating pump.
Think of it as a giant space heater for the sea cows.
"It's gonna be pretty costly, but it's a worthwhile project," Jones said.
FP&L says the heaters are powerful enough to use the same amount of electricity as a thousand homes. That costs FP&L's customer base up to $550 an hour to run, and heats an area of water the size of two football fields.
"I think it's probably money well worth spent. You know, there's probably some people not too happy with it, but I think it's something we gottta do to protect the animals," FP&L customer Ken Lorenz told WFTV.
http://www.wftv.com/news/26121791/detail.html
FP&L Customers Pay To Keep Manatees Warm
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Originally Posted by red states rule
