RIVIERA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Manatee Lagoon - An FPL Eco-Discovery Center(TM) will celebrate its first anniversary with an exciting line up of free, fun-filled family events over the Feb. 4-5 weekend. The facility opened in February 2016 to rave reviews locally and received extensive coverage in regional and national attention.

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The anniversary weekend events, which start at 10 a.m. and conclude at 2 p.m. allow visitors to enjoy complimentary face painting, a manatee-themed coloring station, a caricaturist, tours of the facility and more. On Feb. 4, Robert Scott Thayer, author of the "Kobee Manatee" series of children's publications highlighting the marine adventures of Kobee the manatee, will be featured at a book signing event. In addition, each guest will receive a 4" by 6" framed photo of their Manatee Lagoon anniversary experience.

"It seemed that it was such a short time ago when we actually broke ground on Manatee Lagoon after our new Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center was built," said Pam Rauch, vice president, external affairs and economic development, FPL. "The way residents have embraced this facility and its activities are indicative of the ways we keep our commitment to make our communities a better place to live and raise a family. Since the grand opening, tens of thousands of visitors have taken the opportunity to observe and learn about manatees and the special ecosystem of the Lake Worth Lagoon. Now, we can take the time to celebrate with these fun events and thank everyone."

Manatee Lagoon offers visitors engaging opportunities to learn about the endangered and unique Florida manatee and the Lake Worth Lagoon ecosystem it inhabits. Visitors can also understand the role power plants play in sustaining the species. The warm water outflows from the adjacent FPL Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center attract hundreds of manatees each year, particularly during these cold winter months. The waterfront facility provides opportunities for the public to learn more about these marine mammals and what is needed to protect their environment. The 16,000-sq.-ft. center includes free admission, two levels of exhibit and meeting space, a boardwalk to observe manatees in the Lake Worth Lagoon, picnic area, pavilion, café and gift shop. Manatee Lagoon is located at 6000 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Please visit www.VisitManateeLagoon.com for more information about the event and share via social media at https://www.facebook.com/events/353810405005936/.

Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving more than 4.8 million customer accounts or more than 10 million people across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL's typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30 percent lower than the latest national average and, in 2016, was the lowest in Florida among reporting utilities for the seventh year in a row. FPL's service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all utilities nationwide. The company received the top ranking in the southern U.S. among large electric providers, according to the J.D. Power 2016 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study(SM), and was recognized in 2016 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Market Strategies International. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,700 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune's 2016 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

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SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company