Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center
The Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center began serving customers in the spring of 2014 using cleaner and more affordable U.S.-produced natural gas.
This modernized, combined-cycle natural gas plant was constructed at a cost of approximately $1.3 billion and replaces a 1960s-era, oil-and-gas-fired plant that was demolished on June 19, 2011.
Utilizing cleaner-burning, U.S.-produced natural gas frees FPL from using imported, foreign oil. System wide, the company has reduced its use of imported foreign oil by more than 98 percent – from more than 40 million barrels of oil in 2001 to less than 1 million barrels annually.
The new plant will use 33 percent less fuel per megawatt-hour which will save customers money on future fuel costs and produce far fewer emissions. It will generate up to 1,250 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power roughly 250,000 homes and businesses.
- The new clean energy center, located on a 39-acre site on the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County, features a sleeker profile, with stacks about half as tall.
- The modernized plant will improve air quality at this site by significantly reducing emissions.
- The rate of carbon-dioxide emissions at the Next Generation Clean Energy Center will decrease by 50 percent, based on normal operations. That’s equal to removing about 46,000 cars from the road annually over the life of the project.
- FPL will provide for a manatee viewing area at the site to foster continued support for the threatened species. Learn more about how FPL protects manatees and other species.
- The office building onsite is certified as environmentally sustainable. For example, it will feature rooftop solar panels and there are plans for an electric-car recharging station.
- The approximately $1.3 billion modernized Next Generation Clean Energy Center is considerably more efficient than the former facility, using about 33 percent less fuel to produce the same amount of power and is projected to produce net savings of hundreds of millions of dollars for FPL customers over its 30-year lifetime.
- FPL expects the project to deliver approximately $25 million in new tax revenue to Palm Beach County and local governments to benefit area residents. Over the life of the plant, it is projected to generate approximately $350 million in tax revenue for Palm Beach County.
Florida manatees follow an annual migratory route that leads them to areas of Florida where they warm themselves during the winter months near natural springs or warm-water outflows of coastal power plants. Over the years, FPL has nurtured a special relationship with these gentle sea cows. In fact, our company has supported more than 35 years of manatee research, including aerial surveys, which have been important in understanding manatee migratory patterns, habitat use and population trends. In addition, we have been a decades-long leader in developing and disseminating education materials focused on manatees and their conservation.
In 2014, FPL unveiled plans for an innovative manatee education center for the public adjacent to its clean energy center in Riviera Beach on Florida’s southeast coast. Manatee Lagoon -- An FPL Eco-Discovery Center opened in February 2016. It features a Key West-architecturally styled structure situated along the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County. The facility offers an engaging educational experience for visitors and focuses on manatees and the ecosystem of the surrounding Lake Worth Lagoon. Amenities will include:
- Free admission
- Dynamic exhibits
- Retail space
- Interactive programming content
- And, additional features complemented by a scenic waterfront location, landscaped public gardens, family-oriented picnic areas and an easily accessible venue that provides exceptional water clarity to view manatees during manatee season Nov. 15 through March 31
Environmental stewardship is one of the cornerstones in FPL’s efforts to continue to make Florida a better place to live and work. That is why we have supported manatee research including telemetry studies and aerial surveys at our facilities to help assess the health of manatee herds. We continue to work with non-governmental organizations as we explore additional programming options at FPL Manatee Lagoon and welcome cooperation from environmental agencies that are tasked with protecting these wonderful creatures.
For more information about Manatee Lagoon - An FPL Eco-Discovery Center, visit: www.visitmanateelagoon.com.
- FPL’s Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center employed more than 950 people at the height of construction including electricians, welders, pipefitters and carpenters. These workers created an economic boon for local businesses over the three years during the energy center’s construction.
- In 2015, when the plant enters its first full year of operation, FPL expects to deliver approximately $25 million in new tax revenue to Palm Beach County and local governments to benefit residents. Over the life of the plant, it is projected to generate approximately $350 million in tax revenue for Palm Beach County.
