Reliant’s Manatee Plan

Did you know the Reliant Energy Power Plant is instrumental in working to protect the Manatees in the Indian River during the colder months of the year? Manatees are known to congregate in the Reliant facility’s discharge canal during the colder months of the year. During facility operation, the discharge canal is warmed by the discharge of water required in the electricity generating process. Cooling water for the facility is withdrawn from the Indian River Lagoon via an intake canal and returned to the Indian River Lagoon via the facility’s discharge canal. This water temperature increase offers a warm water refuge for manatees.

Reliant’s Manatee Plan requires them to run their facility if the Indian River water temperature drops below 61 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to run their facility long enough to raise the temperature in their discharge canal to 68 degrees, thus providing a warm sanctuary for the Manatees in the river.

An interesting fact about this plan is that it often requires the Reliant Facility to run during times of the year when they would otherwise be shut down due to low demand for power, so sometimes the plant is running for the sole purpose of protecting the manatees!

The Manatee Plan is in effect from November 15th through March 31st of each year. During the time this plan is effective, Reliant also provides the Bureau of Protected Species Management with daily intake and discharge temperature data for their facility.