3 ms·

That's actually this plant, a coal and natural gas plant.

mikeash 8y ago
It should be noted that the iconic hyperboloid nuclear cooling towers are actually unrelated to nuclear power. Many nuclear plants use them, but many do not, and many non-nuclear plants also use them.
- ams6110 8y ago
  The cooling towers are used to cool waste water before discharging back to rivers/lakes, if I am not mistaken. Too bad there's not a practical way to put that heat to better use.
  - mikeash 8y ago
    Right. Nuclear plants turn heat into electricity the same way coal plants do, they just generate the heat differently, so the second stage of the process looks similar for both. Some plants are built where there's enough water flow (or enough lack of concern over the environmental problems) that the towers aren't needed.
    - village-idiot 8y ago
      For a while the Russians had a designed plant that produced electricity, steam heat for nearby homes, and desalinated water with what energy was left. Apparently the design was abandoned, which is kind of a shame.
ohitsdom 8y ago
Yep. Pictures for those not familiar with Florida. It's a very prominent site when driving on 528: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x88e75dfe19a39959:0x1f4153b1cc7c0122!2m22!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m16!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2!1m1!1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!2m2!1m1!1e6!3m1!7e115!4shttps://www.ouc.com/environment-community/green-initiatives/stanton-energy-center!5sstanton+power+plant+-+Google+Search&imagekey=!1e1!2shttps://www.ouc.com/images/page-heroes/4-2-5-stanton-energy-center.jpg?sfvrsn%3D486c3c39_2&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1jYbwnrHfAhVlS98KHZAeBxMQoiowEnoECAcQBg https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x88e75dfe19a3995...
mrfusion 8y ago
Oh wow. My whole life I was told it was nuclear!
- matt4077 8y ago
  The smoke stacks right behind the cooling towers never made you question that assumption?
toomuchtodo 8y ago
I wouldn’t count on it being coal fired much longer.

It should be noted that the iconic hyperboloid nuclear cooling towers are actually unrelated to nuclear power. Many nuclear plants use them, but many do not, and many non-nuclear plants also use them.

ams6110 8y ago
The cooling towers are used to cool waste water before discharging back to rivers/lakes, if I am not mistaken. Too bad there's not a practical way to put that heat to better use.
- mikeash 8y ago
  Right. Nuclear plants turn heat into electricity the same way coal plants do, they just generate the heat differently, so the second stage of the process looks similar for both. Some plants are built where there's enough water flow (or enough lack of concern over the environmental problems) that the towers aren't needed.
  - village-idiot 8y ago
    For a while the Russians had a designed plant that produced electricity, steam heat for nearby homes, and desalinated water with what energy was left. Apparently the design was abandoned, which is kind of a shame.

ohitsdom 8y ago

Yep. Pictures for those not familiar with Florida. It's a very prominent site when driving on 528: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x88e75dfe19a39959:0x1f4153b1cc7c0122!2m22!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m16!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2!1m1!1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!2m2!1m1!1e6!3m1!7e115!4shttps://www.ouc.com/environment-community/green-initiatives/stanton-energy-center!5sstanton+power+plant+-+Google+Search&imagekey=!1e1!2shttps://www.ouc.com/images/page-heroes/4-2-5-stanton-energy-center.jpg?sfvrsn%3D486c3c39_2&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1jYbwnrHfAhVlS98KHZAeBxMQoiowEnoECAcQBg https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x88e75dfe19a3995...

mrfusion 8y ago

Oh wow. My whole life I was told it was nuclear!

matt4077 8y ago
The smoke stacks right behind the cooling towers never made you question that assumption?

toomuchtodo 8y ago

I wouldn’t count on it being coal fired much longer.