INDIANTOWN, Fla. — Florida Power and Light marked its goodbye to nonrenewable energy with a bang – literally.
FPL imploded the last coal-fired plant in the state Wednesday morning.
The 495-foot tall coal stack that has been towering over Indiantown for more than two decades, according to WPTV, took just a few seconds to crumble to the ground in a cloud of smoke.
The demolition marks a move toward clean energy for the power company, that has spent the last few years buying out coal-fired plant contracts across the state with the intention of shutting them down.
WPTV reports that the Indiantown plant was built in 1995 and purchased by FPL from Calypso Energy in 2016.
"Everything that we do at the end of the day is finding cost-effective solutions for our customers, that are also solutions that are better for the environment," Associate Communication Specialist Jack Eble said, per CBS12.
While the implosion took only seconds, the clean-up process may take years, as it has to comply with EPA standards.
Karen Soricelli of the D.H. Griffin Company told CBS12 that they expected to be doing on-site cleaning through the spring of 2023.
“This is the next step in our 20-year modernization story of providing clean, reliable and affordable energy for our customers,” Eble said via the TCPalm.
You can read more about FPL's move toward clean energy on the company's website.
Watch the full coal-fired plant implosion below.
- Grocery prices are going up: Here's how you can save
- Biden, Putin go face-to-face Wednesday for likely tense summit
- 'Holy s---!' Hammerhead shark thrashes in ankle-deep water near beachgoers
- Some cruise lines vow to defy Florida's ban on proof of vaccination
- State attorney: 'Machete-wielding murderer' sentenced to life in prison for killing man inside Brandon grow house
- How recent rainfall could prolong red tide
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter