Tampa Electric Company (TECO) has their largest power plant in Apollo Beach, FL. Named 'Big Bend Power Station', it covers 1500 acres and produces 1800 mega-watts of power which is enough to power about 1.8 million homes. Big Bend has been on-line since 1996 and TECO has been supplying power since 1899.
The manatee viewing area became popular about ten years ago. The Tampa Bay water temp got below 68 degrees and the manatees swam up the canal to enjoy the warm discharge water. The incoming salt water cools Unit #4 and is discharged at about 80 degrees.
All of the stacks have 'scrubbers' on them to remove all of the sulfur dioxide. All of the other minerals used in production are recycled.
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| Manatees are protected in Florida. |
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| Fines or jail for injuring, molesting or harming manatees. |
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| Fiddler crabs are found in inter-tidal mud flats |
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| Fiddler crab at low tide |
