On June 30, 2009, Florida Power and Light (FPL) submitted an application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to built two additional nuclear reactors at the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station in Miami-Dade County, Florida. If approved, the two Westinghouse AP1000 reactors would generate an additional 1,117 MW of electricity each. This would bring the total capacity of the combined station to 4,773 MW.
Currently, Turkey Point consists of five generating units. Units 1 and 2 burn oil and natural gas producing 400 MW each. Units 3 and 4 are Westinghouse Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) that generate 693 MW each. Unit 5 is a 1,150 MW combined-cycle gas-fired unit that was built in 2007. If approved, these new reactors would make Turkey Point one of the largest and most diverse electrical facilities in the world, not to mention one of the largest nuclear installations.
One unique aspect of Turkey Point is that it is currently home to ¼ of the world’s American Crocodile population. In fact, Turkey Point alone is credited with rescuing the Crocks from the brink of extinction and the animals are now classified as threatened instead of endangered. Today, an estimated 500 fully grown American Crocodiles live in the 170 miles of cooling system canals and nest in the soft berms that were created when the plant was built. This provides the ideal environment for the crocs and, as a side affect, protects them from highways, over development, and poachers. FPL plans to build three massive cooling towers for the new units so as not to disturb this reptilian paradise.
Of course, this little tidbit of information is often omitted when the radical environmentalists rally to prevent the construction of just about anything. The amazing thing is this massive industrial facility has done more to protect an endangered species than every single one of these protesters could in a dozen lifetimes. But one must not expect things like reason and accountability from the same people who cry global warming and then oppose the single greatest source of carbon-free energy known to man.
Another interesting bit of information is that the proposal also includes the use of treated sewage from the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department that will prevent as much as 90 million gallons of waste water from being dumped into the ocean every day. Instead this water will be further cleaned and used to as a coolant for the new reactors without impacting the nearby watersheds.
If the plans were to ever come into fruition, it would require the approval of state and federal regulators. Also, construction of the plant would most likely depend on a loan guarantee from the federal government. A daunting task considering the mountain of paperwork, administrative excess, and political indecision involved in the construction and licensing process for a nuclear project. It is because of this that there has not been a nuclear power plant licensed in the US since the 1970’s.
~Man Overboard
Images used in this Post
Westinghouse AP1000 image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons published under the CC license.
American Crocodile image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons published under the CC license.
4 Comments
This is the way to go until we can better harness solar power. We really need to move away from our dependence on coal and oil…like the rest of the world has been doing for the last 30 years.
Great point, Dave. There is a reason why every developing economy in the world is pursuing nuclear energy. They have seen what fossil dependence can do to us.
I saw a program on Animal Planet about a year ago that was centered on the wildlife refuge that has been created as a result of the Turkey Point super structure. To the show’s credit they made no effort to hide the fact that the crocodile paradise was a direct result of the nuclear power station. I believe it was the Jeff Corwin Experience was the program that I actually watched.
It’s about time some new nukes started getting built. It’s asinine that we haven’t.