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83-541: Two reactors were planned at Seabrook but the first unit did not begin full operation until 1990, a full 14 years after the construction permit was granted, and the second unit was never built due to construction delays caused by protests, cost overruns, and troubles obtaining financing. The difficulties led to the bankruptcy of Seabrook's utility owner, PSNH. Since 2002, Seabrook Station has been owned and operated by NextEra Energy Resources . The Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH) initially sought plans for building

166-501: A Florida Times-Union columnist at home and on vacation in 2019 and 2020, after he wrote critically of FPL's attempts to influence the Jacksonville City Council to approve its acquitision of a local utility. Through a shell company, FPL offered one Jacksonville City Council member a $ 250,000 a year job promoting his pet issue of marijuana decriminalization on the condition he resign his council seat. FPL created

249-484: A 1,250 MW facility. The FPL Riviera Beach power plant, commissioned in 1946, was demolished on June 19, 2011. Construction began in the first quarter of 2012 on the 1,250 MW Next Generation Energy Center by Zachry Holdings. The new plant has three 265 MW combustion engines and one 500 MW steam generator and began service in April 2014. The West County Energy Center began operating in 2009. Before it

332-518: A PPA with NextEra Energy Resources for 300 megawatts of wind energy, which was in addition to the PPA signed in February 2018 for 520 megawatts of wind energy from NEER. As of May 2018, NEER has 113 wind projects in operation producing a net total of 12,863.3 megawatts (MW). Notable wind projects are listed below: As of December 2017, NextEra Energy Resources has solar facilities located in 16 states in

415-417: A bill against net metering , the policy allowing rooftop solar panel users to offset the cost of solar panels by selling excess power back to utilities like FPL. Internal emails indicated that on October 18 an FPL lobbyist sent the text of the bill to Florida state senator Jennifer Bradley, who on October 20 received a $ 10,000 donation from FPL's parent company to her political committee, and a month later filed

498-583: A boardwalk, and a manatee web cam. FPL began its program Solar for Schools in 2013 and has installed solar arrays at more than 100 schools and non-profit educational centers across Florida. FPL started the SolarNow program, which installs community solar panels throughout Florida, in 2015. FPL customers can voluntarily contribute to the program. FPL has pushed against net metering and sought to impose minimum monthly payments, facility charges, and grid access fees for rooftop solar energy users. FPL argued that

581-496: A controlling 88.2% share of Seabrook Station at a total cost of $ 836.6 million. The remaining portion is owned by municipal utilities in Massachusetts. The station is one of five nuclear generating facilities operated by parent company NextEra Energy . The other four are St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant and Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station operated by sister company Florida Power & Light (a regulated utility), and

664-539: A decade. The 2010 U.S. population within 50 miles (80 km) was 4,315,571, an increase of 8.7 percent since 2000. Cities within 50 miles include Boston (40 miles to city center). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission 's estimate of the risk each year of an earthquake intense enough to cause core damage to the reactor at Seabrook was 1 in 45,455, according to an NRC study published in August 2010. NextEra Energy Resources NextEra Energy Resources, LLC ( NEER )

747-431: A generation capacity of 75 megawatts. It was decommissioned in 2023. By 2013, FPL owned $ 34.8 billion in assets and operated 23 plants that generated 24,000 megawatts of electricity. As of 2014, the company had installed 4.9 million smart meters. In March 2015, FPL launched a Power Delivery Diagnostic Center which uses smart grid technology to manage the electric system in order to maintain reliable service. In 2016,

830-543: A majority stake in a Georgia Power generation facility that year. Over the course of the next two decades, FPL expanded into the southern and eastern United States, creating a new holding group in 1998, FPL Energy , to manage the company's efforts in electricity markets outside of FPL's service area. It acquired a controlling stake in New Hampshire 's Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant in 2002 and acquired Texas -based Gexa Energy in 2005. The company also launched

913-743: A natural-gas fired plant in Okeechobee County . The photovoltaic plants will produce approximately 74.5 MW each. The FPL Citrus Solar Energy Center will be located in DeSoto County, FPL Babcock Ranch Solar Energy Center will be in Charlotte County, and FPL Manatee Solar Energy Center in Manatee County will be on the site of an existing fuel-efficient natural gas power plant that FPL operates. FPL plans grid energy storage with 409 MW of power and 900 MWh of energy at

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996-410: A net total of 2,153.7 megawatts (MW). Notable solar projects are listed below: As of May 2018, NEER has three nuclear power plants in operation, producing a net total of 2,723.3 megawatts (MW), while the other two NextEra Energy nuclear power plants operate under Florida Power & Light . NEER is responsible for all nuclear unit operations and the ultimate decommissioning of the nuclear units, and

1079-466: A nuclear power plant in 1966. PSNH initially planned for building the plant in Newington , but the construction permit was denied after concerns of the proposed site being too close to Pease Air Force Base . After the new location of Seabrook was selected, construction plans were finalized in 1972. PSNH originally proposed the first unit coming online by 1979, the second unit coming online by 1981, and

1162-487: A plant electrician was laid off shortly after raising a safety concern with a system wiring configuration. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) initiated an investigation into the matter, and determined that this action was a violation involving discrimination against an employee for raising a safety concern. This event resulted in an NRC Severity Level III violation and a $ 55,000 civil penalty. In 2000, one of Seabrook Station's two emergency diesel generators failed during

1245-419: A plume exposure pathway zone with a radius of 10 miles (16 km), concerned primarily with exposure to, and inhalation of, airborne radioactive contamination, and an ingestion pathway zone of about 50 miles (80 km), concerned primarily with ingestion of food and liquid contaminated by radioactivity. The 2010 U.S. population within 10 miles (16 km) of Seabrook was 118,747, an increase of 10.1 percent in

1328-688: A proposal to diversify its fuel sources by building a coal-burning power plant on 5,000 acres (20 km ) in Moore Haven, Florida , near the western edge of Lake Okeechobee . After the National Park Service raised concerns that it would emit toxic mercury into the lake and also harm the Everglades, the state Public Service Commission rejected the plan in 2007. FPL proposed a severe winter weather plan that critics have argued would create unnecessary costs for consumers, considering

1411-670: A regular basis to ensure our plans are comprehensive and effective and continue to refine. These most recent claims by 'We the People' and Mr. Comley are completely without merit. Mr. Comley has a long history of making false allegations and baseless claims against Seabrook. Independent agencies, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission , have reviewed his claims and allegations and have found them to be without substance. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission defines two emergency planning zones around nuclear power plants:

1494-543: A solution. FPL has two nuclear power plants including the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant in St. Lucie, Florida (Hutchinson Island) and Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station . Combined, these two plants produce more than 3,000 megawatts of power. Two power plants were completed in Martin County in 1994. In January 2015, FPL announced it would build three solar plants in order to triple its solar capacity as well as

1577-495: A surveillance test. The NRC inspection report detailed the event as follows: The failure involved the crankcase overpressurizing, resulting in lifting of the crankcase relief cover assemblies, as well as displacement of the crankcase exhauster hose. Subsequent inspection revealed damage to one of the pistons and its cylinder liner as a result of non-uniform thermal growth of the aluminum piston skirt. That growth caused scuffing, scoring, and transfer of aluminum material from

1660-591: A total cost of less than $ 1 billion. PSNH and the state Public Utilities Commission expected little opposition in constructing Seabrook Station, and even the Union Leader reported, "Management of Public Service does not anticipate difficulties in obtaining the necessary licenses and permits for the Seabrook site because it is not near an air base [as was Newington, its first choice for a site], and condenser cooling water can be discharged directly to deep water in

1743-514: Is a wholesale electricity supplier based in Juno Beach, Florida . NEER is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy ( NYSE :  NEE ), a Fortune 200 company. Prior to 2009, NextEra Energy Resources was known as FPL Energy . NextEra Energy Resources is the world's largest operator of wind and solar projects. In addition to wind and solar, NEER owns and operates generating plants powered by nuclear energy , natural gas , and oil. As of December 2017,

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1826-499: Is expected to occur during the fall 2024 refueling outage. In 2010, Seabrook Station applied to have its operating license extended from 2030 to 2050. In September 2012, Massachusetts Reps. Edward Markey and John F. Tierney filed H.R. 6554, titled the "Nuclear Reactor Safety First Act", which would have prevented nuclear plants from receiving license extensions from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) if they applied more than 10 years before their licenses expired. The legislation

1909-583: Is one of the largest databases of wild captured sea turtles in the world. The College of Turtle Knowledge teaches the public about the study of turtles and how they are being protected. The cooling outflow of the Riviera Beach Clean Energy Center attracts manatees which seek warm waters. In February 2015, construction began on the Florida Power and Light Manatee Education Center. It will include exhibits and meeting space,

1992-455: Is the main fuel used by Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) to generate energy, and accounts for 78 percent of the company's energy capacity mix. In 2020, eight percent of capacity was sourced from renewables, namely solar energy. FPL is the principal subsidiary of NextEra Energy. NextEra Energy and its other subsidiaries, particularly NextEra Energy Resources , have significantly different generation profiles. An 800 MW dual fuel facility

2075-559: The Barley Barber Swamp in protest of the closure of the swamp to public access. The activists claimed FPL was draining the area; the company denied the allegations and said it was working with state and local officials to reopen the area to the public. Seventeen protesters were arrested for trespassing and resisting arrest during the demonstration. In 2011, FPL fazed an old power station in Cape Canaveral, Florida ,

2158-480: The Duane Arnold Energy Center and Point Beach Nuclear Generating Station operated by NextEra Energy Resources. During the 2008 presidential election , Republican nominee John McCain mentioned the possibility of building the once-planned second reactor at Seabrook. The idea drew cautious support from some officials, but would be difficult due to financial and regulatory reasons. In 2009,

2241-556: The Florida Public Service Commission rejected an FPL proposal to build a coal-fired power station near Moore Haven, Florida . At the end of the 2000s, FPL Group and FPL Energy rebranded and were renamed NextEra Energy and NextEra Energy Resources , respectively. In 2009, the company started installing smart meters , which communicate with FPL via radio transmissions and provide alerts for outages. The same year, environmental activists camped near

2324-571: The New Hampshire House of Representatives introduced House Bill 1661 that would have removed Seabrook Station's property tax exemption for components used to mitigate air and water pollution. In 2020, House Bill 1661 failed to proceed out of the NH House of Representatives. In April 2020, Massachusetts members of the U.S. Congress that included U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Congressman Seth Moulton called on

2407-436: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and NextEra Energy to release the pandemic plan for Seabrook Station in response to COVID-19 . The letter was submitted in response to the ongoing refueling outage bringing hundreds of workers on site with concerns over safety procedures and plant staffing. Seabrook Station was also granted regulatory exemptions from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to aid in its preventative efforts against

2490-473: The telecommunications subsidiary FPL FiberNet during this time. FPL's customer base reached 4 million in 2002. During the early 2000s, FPL began modernizing its power generation infrastructure, resulting in reduced emissions of flue gas , fuel costs, and oil usage; by 2013, the company was using fewer than 1 million barrels of oil annually. In 2007, the company was the largest utility in Florida. That year,

2573-552: The 10-mile emergency planning radius of Seabrook Station including Hampton refused to provide evacuation planning, and in 1980, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was petitioned to halt construction until those evacuation plans were resolved. The six Massachusetts towns within the 10-mile radius were also opposed to Seabrook Station, which resulted in political opposition, such as from Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis , and numerous legal suits during construction. In 1984, due to continuing financial and regulatory problems,

Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant - Misplaced Pages Continue

2656-667: The ASLB’s Initial Decision." In 2013, the Nuclear Energy Institute released a study showing the positive impact of Seabrook Station on the economy and environment. Key findings are listed below. Seabrook Station has been cited as crucial for allowing Massachusetts to comply with carbon emission legal requirements, which was also evidenced by the closure of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant in 2015 causing carbon emissions to rise in New England for

2739-644: The Atlantic Ocean." When the construction and operation plans were presented to the town of Seabrook, the plans "were met with an enthusiastic response" and were unanimously approved. Construction began in August 1976 with cooperation amongst sixteen utility groups. However, numerous problems led to construction delays. In the fall of 1976, the New England regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency rejected

2822-574: The Board in the plant's license, citing that they are "necessary to provide adequate protection of public health and safety". In May 2021, U.S Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey , both from Massachusetts , sent a letter to the NRC expressing concerns with the ASLB's decision and that the NRC should "reopen the record for consideration of supplemental testimony and strengthen the four license conditions in

2905-656: The Crabshell Alliance protesting Satsop Nuclear Power Plant , among others. The song " Old Settler's Song (Acres of Clams) " has become synonymous with these events. However, construction of Seabrook Station continued, and many Clamshell Alliance activists became dispirited with reports of "massive burnout and dropout" following the 1977 occupation. In September 2017, activist Steve Comley Sr. along with his non-profit "We The People" paid for an electronic billboard in Salisbury, Massachusetts , allegedly warning of

2988-496: The New England electric grid, the additional power delivery would require upgrades to Seabrook Station's main generator breaker, which is being litigated over the cost of the upgrade and which party or parties would be responsible for those costs. In February 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered NextEra Energy Resources to proceed with upgrades to the main generator breaker, which

3071-665: The Scherer plant, as well as its share of the Daniel Generating Plant in Jackson County, Mississippi , which Gulf Power co-owned with its former sister company, Mississippi Power . In July 2022, FPL started charging ratepayers a $ 25 minimum bill. Under a minimum bill, customers are required to pay a certain amount to their utility provider each month, even if they do not use any electricity. Fuel source generation by type as of July 5, 2021. Natural gas

3154-636: The Seabrook Station construction site. The following year in May 1977, more than 2,000 protesters occupied the construction site, of which "1,414 were arraigned on criminal trespass charges, one of the largest mass arrests in U.S. history". The Clamshell Alliance and its protests against the construction of Seabrook Station inspired other U.S. anti-nuclear groups to form including the Abalone Alliance protesting Diablo Canyon Power Plant and

3237-689: The U.S. and 4 provinces in Canada, primarily located throughout Texas and the Western and Midwestern regions of the U.S. and Canada. In April 2011, Google Energy signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with NextEra Energy Resources for 100.8 megawatts of wind energy from Minco II Wind Energy Center in Grady County and Caddo County, Oklahoma . In December 2017, NextEra Energy Resources acquired all Oklahoma wind power and transmission assets from Clean Line Energy. In June 2018, AT&T signed

3320-733: The U.S., 1 province in Canada, and 1 province in Spain. In December 2010, NextEra Energy Resources purchased four solar projects totaling 40 megawatts in Ontario from First Solar . In February 2018, NextEra Energy Resources filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of the Treasury for $ 127 million. The lawsuit involves the construction of Silver State South Solar Energy Center in Clark County, Nevada , which

3403-518: The Watt-Wise home energy audit program in 1978, designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy demand during peak demand . In 1984, FPL created the holding company FPL Group for acquisitions and the creation of companies. FPL became the first non-Japanese company to win the Deming Prize for quality in 1989. In 1990, FPL Group began expanding its reach beyond Florida, purchasing

Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant - Misplaced Pages Continue

3486-678: The absence of an evacuation plan in the event of an accident at Seabrook Station. In January 2018, the town of Merrimac, Massachusetts , joined half a dozen other communities "calling for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to hold a hearing on whether the Seabrook, New Hampshire, nuclear power plant's evacuation plan can be effectively implemented". In response, NextEra Energy released the following statement: We have extensive emergency response systems in place, including numerous back-up safety systems that provide our plants with layer upon layer of both automated and manual protection. Also, we work collaboratively with local, state and federal officials on

3569-474: The bill in the senate. Bradley denied that the filing of the bill was due to the donation. According to the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting, several of the top utility companies in Florida, including FPL, have contributed over $ 12 million towards the election campaigns of state lawmakers since 2010. FPL contributed $ 2 million to promote 2016 Florida Amendment 1 , which would have preserved

3652-435: The combined capacity of NEER's facilities is 19.06 gigawatts (GW) across 32 states, 4 Canadian provinces, and 1 province in Spain. NEER also develops and builds battery storage projects . As of December 2017, NEER owns and operates approximately 205 electrical substations and 1,190 circuit miles of electric power transmission lines. As of December 2017, NextEra Energy Resources has wind facilities located in 21 states in

3735-477: The combined-cycle Marcus Hook Energy Center (790 MW) and the simple-cycle Marcus Hook 50 Energy Center (50 MW). As of May 2018, NEER has four natural gas plants in operation, all located in the Northeast region of the U.S., producing a net total of 420 megawatts (MW). The natural gas plants in operation are listed below: Florida Power %26 Light Florida Power & Light Company ( FPL ),

3818-538: The company had about 74,000 miles (119,000 km) of power lines in Florida. In January 2021 Gulf Power Company was legally merged into FPL, extending FPL's service territory into Northwest Florida. Gulf Power will operate as a separate division within FPL through 2021. The two companies will be regulated as separate entities until the Florida Public Service Commission approves the consolidation of their tariffs. In consequence, FPL would also assume Gulf Power's share of

3901-471: The cooling tunnel discharge system, which would have disallowed operation of the plant, but the decision was appealed and later overturned in 1978. For several years during construction there were many protests and acts of civil disobedience, the largest of which was in 1977 and had over 1,400 arrests. The Three Mile Island accident in 1979 diminished outside interest in financing and buying ownership of Seabrook Station. Six surrounding New Hampshire towns within

3984-455: The earthquake did not trigger any emergency procedures or result in any signs of structural damage to the plant. In mid-2020, Seabrook Station experienced two unplanned shutdowns due to a set of control rods unexpectedly inserting into the reactor core. In both cases, all safety systems responded appropriately with the reactor being safely shut down. On the morning of July 12, 2022, nine of the plant's sirens were "inadvertently activated" within

4067-609: The electrical infrastructure. APL paid to repair the damage and build two new power stations. By early 1927, FPL had 115,000 customers. The company continued to expand its customer base and generating power, and in 1950 became independently listed on the New York Stock Exchange . Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, FPL built new power stations, including Florida's first nuclear power plant at Turkey Point , which began operation in October 1972. The company launched

4150-418: The event. In 2015, a Seabrook Station security guard had stuffed a rifle barrel with an ear plug and two rolled up pieces of paper, which was later found during rifle cleaning. The event prompted an NRC investigation, and the security guard was banned for three years from involvement in all NRC-licensed activities. In 2018, a magnitude 2.7 earthquake occurred approximately 10 miles from Seabrook Station, but

4233-496: The excess power produced by the ice plants no longer met the need. During 1924–1925, American Power & Light (APL) purchased power stations in Florida and connected them to provide more consistent power in the network. In December 1925, APL spun off its Florida properties into a new subsidiary, FPL, to replace the Miami Beach Electric Company. The following year, a hurricane hit Miami , damaging much of

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4316-473: The fifth time in six years. In January 2021, Gulf Power Company was merged into FPL, extending the combined service territory into northwest Florida. Gulf Power operated as a separate division within FPL through 2021. Early power stations in Florida were primarily used to manufacture ice and sell excess power during off-hours from manufacturing. By the 1920s, demand for power had grown sufficiently that

4399-472: The first time in five years. According to projections by ISO New England , any decrease in electricity production in the region would not be expected to be replaced by renewable energy and instead would be replaced by natural gas . According to 2011 projections, if a gas-fired power plant had been built instead of Seabrook Station, then "it would have emitted nearly 94 million metric tons of CO2 over 22 years – nearly equal to all of Arizona's CO2 emissions for

4482-478: The license extension announcement, the group C-10 filed an emergency petition to the NRC in an attempt to prevent any license extension until further hearings on ASR were held, which was denied by the NRC in July 2019. In August 2020, the NRC's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) formally accepted Seabrook Station's concrete monitoring program for ASR concerns. However, additional monitoring conditions were imposed by

4565-560: The local news website The Capitolist in order to get pro-utility articles and negative coverage about their political enemies published. An investigation by National Public Radio and Floodlight News found FPL did so through consulting firm Matrix LLC, which also supported positive coverage for itself and FPL-friendly governor Rick Scott in Florida Politics and the Sunshine State News . Matrix surveilled

4648-583: The monopoly of utilities on rooftop solar in Florida. In 2021, records obtained by the Orlando Sentinel tied top FPL executives to the political consultants responsible for the "ghost" candidate scandal, promoting spoiler candidates in key races in order to siphon off votes from Democrats. Documents reviewed by the Orlando Sentinel and the Miami Herald revealed that FPL executives used consultants and shell companies to funnel money to

4731-411: The name of the nuclear power plant was officially changed to NextEra Energy Seabrook, but the plant is still widely known and referred to as Seabrook Station. In 2017, due to the steady drop in value of nuclear power plants including Seabrook Station, the town of Seabrook enacted a 9.9 percent tax increase to offset the decrease in tax revenue collected from the plant's owner, NextEra Energy . In 2019,

4814-436: The net metering policy in its present form unfairly required customers who do not own rooftop solar panels to subsidize the energy usage of those who do own them, whereas FPL's opponents argued that utilities like FPL were simply trying to curtail the expansion of rooftop solar panels to maintain their monopoly on electricity markets. According to records obtained by the Miami Herald and Floodlight , in 2021 FPL lobbied for

4897-468: The nuclear sites use both on-site spent fuel pools and dry cask storage to store spent nuclear fuel generated by the facilities. The NEER nuclear power plants in operation are listed below: In November 2016, NextEra Energy Resources sold two natural gas plants located in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania and other assets to Starwood Energy Group. The sale totaled approximately $ 765 million and included

4980-469: The outflow from which warmed the surrounding waters. Manatee migration patterns have been disrupted by power station outflows along the Florida coast and they are attracted to these outflow areas, including those from the Cape Canaveral plant. Following the plant's destruction, FPL spent US$ 5 million to add pumps and heaters to the area to maintain the environment for the manatees while a new plant

5063-478: The owners canceled construction of the second reactor unit at 25% completion after $ 800 million spent. Construction of Reactor Unit 1 was eventually completed in 1986, but shortly thereafter in 1988, the large debt involved led to the bankruptcy of Seabrook's major utility owner PSNH. At the time, this was the fourth largest bankruptcy in United States corporate history. The construction of Seabrook Station

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5146-451: The piston skirt to the cylinder liner. The heat generated by the friction ( galling ) between the skirt and the liner bore, coupled with the hot combustion gas blow-by, eventually ignited oil vapor in the crankcase. The NRC determined that the above event was a White finding (an issue of low to moderate safety significance), which also "involved the failure to take adequate corrective actions to address degraded components associated with one of

5229-456: The plant as it gauge[d] NextEra's safety plan to monitor and manage the alkali-silica reaction phenomenon present in concrete throughout the power plant". In October 2017, federal regulators allowed the non-profit nuclear watchdog group C-10 to weigh in on the license amendment request. On March 12, 2019, the NRC announced it would be renewing the operating license of Seabrook Station for an additional 20 years, expiring on March 15, 2050. Following

5312-577: The plant's 10-mile emergency planning zone. The sirens within the Hampton Beach area called for the beach and surrounding beaches to be evacuated. The plant and New Hampshire and Massachusetts Emergency Management Administrations later confirmed the siren activation to be a false alarm caused by human error during routine silent testing of the plant's 121 sirens. The false alarm led to the closure of beaches in Hampton , Rye , and Seabrook . In 1975,

5395-716: The power plant was completed. FPL responded stating that the plant reuses water up to six times in the plant. More than a dozen governmental agencies signed off on the plant which was approved by the governor and cabinet. Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center is the first hybrid solar facility combining a solar thermal array with a combined cycle natural gas power plant in the world. The 74.5 MW plant began operation in December 2010. The plant has 190,000 mirrors spread over 500 acres. The 25 MW DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center

5478-448: The principal subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc. (formerly FPL Group, Inc. ), is the largest power utility in Florida. It is a Juno Beach, Florida -based power utility company serving roughly 5 million customers and 11 million people in Florida . It is a rate-regulated electric utility that generates, transmits, distributes and sells electric energy. In 2020, the company was ranked as the nation's most reliable electric power utility for

5561-484: The site. By 2018, 8 additional PV solar sites were in service at 75 MW each. Surrounding the FPL operated Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant is 168 miles of cooling water canals that attract American crocodiles , which nest in the canals. These canals are home to endangered loggerhead sea turtles , manatees , and crocodiles that are tracked by the plants monitoring program. The sea turtle protection program has tagged over 12,000 sea turtles in 25 years. This program

5644-560: The spread of COVID-19 including loosening work-hour controls and deferring certain inspections. Beginning in the early 2020s, NextEra Energy has been involved in an ongoing dispute with utility company Avangrid over the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) power line being constructed in Maine, which is aimed at bringing hydropower from Canada to the New England power grid. Before being interconnected to

5727-495: The state's 10-year state energy strategy that cited "preserving Seabrook Station as a source of zero-carbon energy is the most realistic and cost-effective means of managing emissions in New Hampshire at scale". If the electricity generation of Seabrook Station was to be matched by wind or solar power , the required land "would need about 290 square miles of wind turbines or about 80 square miles of solar panels". In 1998,

5810-664: The success of the anti-nuclear movement in Germany in cancelling construction of the nuclear power plant in Wyhl began to inspire attempted occupations of the construction site for Seabrook Station. Shortly thereafter in 1976, the Clamshell Alliance was formed after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Seabrook Station's construction permit. On August 1, 1976, 600 protesters rallied at

5893-473: The two emergency diesel generators (EDG)". In 2005, a security fence installed by a subcontracted engineering firm failed a NRC inspection and was declared inoperable, which resulted in a fine of $ 65,000 by the NRC since "both design of the system and testing procedures did not adhere to NRC guidelines". In 2012, the southern Maine coast experienced a magnitude 4.0 earthquake during Seabrook Station's refueling outage. An "Unusual Event" emergency classification

5976-509: The unlikelihood of a severe winter freeze in Florida. FPL won the prestigious Deming Award for quality improvement in 1989, becoming the first non-Japanese company to do so. As reported at the time by The South Florida Sun-Sentinel , FPL's quality improvement efforts were aimed at improving customer satisfaction. In 2014, FPL: J.D. Power ranked FPL at the top position in customer satisfaction among energy utilities companies in 2016. Additionally, FPL Group and NextEra Energy were rated as

6059-567: The whole of 2009". As of 2020, municipal electric utilities in Massachusetts only produced 2.43% of their energy from wind and solar energy, but because of contracts held with Seabrook Nuclear Station and Millstone Nuclear Power Plant in Connecticut , the share of non-emitting energy produced by Massachusetts municipal electric utilities jumps to 38.22%. In April 2018, the New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives released

6142-541: Was 33 percent more efficient than the plant it replaced and produced half the carbon dioxide emissions, 90 percent less pollutants, and had a 50 percent greater capacity. The plant cost $ 900 million to complete, which was about $ 140 million under the projected budget. The FPL Port Everglades power plant , which began operation in 1960, was demolished on July 16, 2013, to make way for a new combined cycle facility. The FPL Port Everglades Next Generation Clean Energy Center started construction in 2014 and opened in 2016 as

6225-579: Was built near Cape Canaveral in 1965 to supply power to the new Kennedy Space Center . The original FPL Cape Canaveral power plant was demolished on August 22, 2010, to make way for the FPL Cape Canaveral Next Generation Energy Center. The FPL Cape Canaveral Next Generation Energy Center in Sharpes, Florida was completed and opened in April 2013. The 1,200 MW combined-cycle natural gas-fired facility

6308-539: Was built, activists claimed the power plant was a threat to the nearby wildlife refuge and the ecosystem of the Everglades. Because the plant uses large amounts of water to cool its turbines which can reach up to 1,100 °F (593 °C), activists also argued that millions of gallons of waste water will be deep-well injected below the Floridan aquifer daily, putting a strain on water supplies in South Florida if

6391-653: Was built. Similar replacement projects were undertaken at plants in Riviera Beach and Fort Lauderdale . Following completion of the Riviera Beach project, FPL built the Manatee Education Center and observation area near the plant in 2016. FPL built the first hybrid solar plant in the world in 2011, which combined solar thermal collectors with combined cycle natural gas generation. The plant , located in Martin County, Florida , had

6474-603: Was completed by NEER in partnership with Entergy Arkansas . Pinal Central Solar Energy Center, the largest universal solar project in Arizona , was also opened in Pinal County, Arizona (20 MW) along with a 10-megawatt lithium-ion battery storage system after construction was completed by NEER in partnership with Salt River Project (SRP). As of May 2018, NEER has 32 universal solar projects and several small scale private generation solar projects in operation producing

6557-606: Was completed in 2016. The lawsuit claims that "the government has arbitrarily withheld the money it should have paid the company under the Section 1603 grant program to offset the construction costs" and that "the government offered no explanation about why it withheld the money from the company". In May 2018, the commissioning was held for Arkansas ' largest universal solar project, Stuttgart Solar Energy Center (81.0 MW) in Arkansas County, Arkansas , after construction

6640-691: Was completed in October 2009. The plant has more than 90,000 photovoltaic panels over 235 acres. DeSoto was the largest solar plant in the country in 2010. In 1965, FPL announced the building of a $ 100 million nuclear power plant at Turkey Point . The company announced in 2015 that it had started construction on an expansion to the Turkey Point nuclear facility . The expansion of Turkey Point Nuclear facility received criticism from some South Florida mayors over concerns about high water usage, insufficient evacuation zones and increased risks from rising sea levels . FPL responded that they were working to find

6723-508: Was completed ten years later than expected, with a cost approaching $ 7 billion. The NRC described its own regulatory oversight of Seabrook as "a paradigm of fragmented and uncoordinated government decision making," and "a system strangling itself and the economy in red tape." The plant was originally owned by more than 10 separate utility companies serving five New England states. In 2002, most sold their shares to FPL Energy (a subsidiary of FPL Group), later known as NextEra Energy Resources , for

6806-462: Was declared, but there was no impact to the plant or disruption in refueling activities. In 2013, Seabrook Station and the workers' union reached a last-minute contract agreement within hours of expiring that would have resulted in a lockout . In 2014, a small electrical fire originating from an elevator motor resulted in the declaration of an "Unusual Event" emergency classification. There were no injuries, evacuations, or threat to public safety from

6889-463: Was specifically aimed at Seabrook Station's license extension, but the bill never proceeded out of House Committee. During the relicensing process, there were safety concerns pertaining to concrete degradation at the plant due to alkali–silica reaction (ASR) because of ground-water infiltration into various structure foundations, which prompted concerns from various local politicians. In June 2017, NRC officials "reviewed numerous documents and inspected

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