JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An iconic landmark on Jacksonville's Northside shut down Friday.
The St. Johns River Power Park, operated by JEA and Florida Power & Light, will be torn down this year.
The power plant was built in the 1980s, and had only been operating about 30 years, during which its two cooling towers marked the city's Northside.
But, JEA and FPL, which own it together, said it’s for the plant to go.
"(It) was getting to the end of its life," said JEA spokeswoman Gerri Boyce.
The St. Johns River Power Park was not cheap to build, as it cost $14.5 billion. Several hundred million dollars are still owed, which both JEA and FPL will keep paying.
Even though the towers looked like they were part of a nuclear facility, the plant only used coal and other solid fuels.
According to JEA, customers are using less energy now than when it was built, and with new regulations and environmental concerns, it’s time to shut it down.
"We need to look at other sources of generation," Boyce said. "Remember, we do have quite a bit of solar coming this year as far as renewables and also natural gas."
The dismantling process to take apart the power plant has already started. The real work will happen later this year when the cooling towers will be imploded and the whole area will be leveled.
As for the workforce, more than 200 people were employed at St. Johns River Power Park. JEA said most employees have either retired or found other work with the utility.
Officials have not yet decided what will happen with the land once the plant is torn down.