05. Red Beach

The Red Beach Electrical Power Plant and its surrounding residential and low-density commercial district are so named for the high clay content of the sand making up the beach. Cynics suggest that it’s named for the “red tide” that blooms off the coast and occasionally poisons shellfish found in the water, which can be poisonous to those who eat them. The power plant is often a scapegoat for various ecological problems Newcastle weathers, but it’s much less of a contributor to environmental contamination than the heavy industry that’s the city’s stock in trade. Nevertheless, this misapplied pseudoscience is the cause of much of Red Beach’s coarse reputation.

Background

Red Beach Electrical Power Plant is sorely out of date and taxed almost daily beyond its capacities to generate energy for Newcastle. This has been the case for almost 20 years, when the population began growing at a rate faster than the local infrastructure could keep up. The Red Beach Power Company has opened numerous satellite plants, but the hastily erected electrical grid is likewise insufficient to handle the city’s power needs. Red Beach Power Company has been paying state and federal fines for their inability to meet demand since 1976. The company will probably continue to pay fines until 2076, assuming it can keep its head above water until then.

Alternative Name(s)

Power Plant

Type

District

Location under

New Castle