It's just what you'd expect from your local power company.
Raise your electricity rates one day. Announce plans to spend a billion dollars to create hot tubs for sea cows the next.
FPL, in a move that shows the state's leading power supplier has a heart for more than just hiking up rates, announced Monday it will build a $1 billion natural gas power plant that will warm Florida waters and accommodate the manatees who migrate south to get away from frigid temperatures. The plant will be built in Brevard County on Port St. John.
You heard right - a power plant for manatees. And you thought that proposed increase in your monthly bill would go to waste. Shame on you.
Usually docile and rather ugly sea mammals, manatees were caught outracing speed boats and slapping paddles after the news hit canals that FPL was creating a winter spa just for them.
As many as 600 of the lovable unofficial state mascots have been seen huddled together to keep warm in the winter. Now, they'll be passing the sun tan lotion around.
Last week, FPL put in a request to state officials to increase customers' base rates astronomically. If approved, the move is estimated to cost the average customer about $12.40 more a month.
Local
The natural gas plant is expected to start warming waters in 2013.
