 The water near our power plants plays a life-sustaining role in the ecosystem, providing homes to many species of wildlife. KCP&L's coal-fired plants use a closed loop for recycling water, so clean, warm water is eventually discharged into a lake or river. |
Our individual plants each have unique visitors throughout the year:
- Hawthorn Generating Station, located along the Missouri River in Kansas City, Mo., has a nesting box on its smokestack for peregrine falcons, and it draws North American bluebirds to nesting boxes located on the plant's property. The pump station also provides nesting habitat for cliff swallows.
- Bald eagles can be seen at Iatan Generating Station in Weston, Mo., where they are drawn in large numbers by the abundance of fish in the river. In winter, Iatan boasts one of the largest concentrations of bald eagles in Missouri.
- At La Cygne Generating Station,
 approximately 5,000 acres, including 2,400 acres of the lake, are devoted to a Wildlife Management Area under the Kansas Wildlife and Park Department. The lake supports a healthy population of large-mouth bass, crappie and channel cat. Visitors may see migrating white pelicans in early April, bald eagles in spring and fall, double-crested cormorants in spring and fall, and indigenous Kansas birds and wildlife throughout the year.
- As a result of a restoration project with the Missouri Department of Conservation, osprey are making a comeback in Missouri. At a remote area of the Montrose Generating Station lake, young osprey were released from 1998 to 2001. The effort was deemed a success in 2002 when osprey nested and raised three young in the same protected area of the lake.
- The Missouri Department of Conservation leases and manages the Montrose Wildlife Area - 3,600 acres including the reservoir. Largemouth bass, crappie, channel cat, white pelicans, bald eagles, double-crested cormorants and indigenous Missouri birds and wildlife can be seen at various seasons throughout the year.
KCP&L has been actively involved in restoring habitats for several types of raptors ("birds of prey"):
- Previously an endangered species, the peregrine falcon has made a dramatic comeback thanks to a joint effort between KCP&L, the Missouri Department of Conservation and Commerce Bancshares of North America. Beginning with the release of 24 young peregrine falcons in downtown Kansas City in 1991 and 1992, the falcon reintroduction has been very successful. Peregrine falcons have nested in downtown Kansas City since 1997. The original released birds have also nested in Omaha, Neb., and Des Moines, Iowa.
- Six years ago, KCP&L installed nesting boxes for kestrels, the smallest falcons, at several of our facilities. Kestrels provide a natural biological control over pest species that interfere with the cooling process of the transformers at substations. Substations with nesting kestrels have fewer English sparrows and European starlings, which helps us maintain our high level of reliable service.
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