Why does hot water from a power plant attract sharks?
In short: Every winter, hundreds of sandbar and dusky sharks gather off the coast of Hadera. The reason is as strange as it is specific: they are drawn to a plume of water that is ten degrees warmer than the surrounding sea.
The phenomenon occurs near Israel's Orot Rabin Power Plant, which serves as the country's largest power station. During the winter months from November to May, hot water gushing from the facility creates a thermal anomaly in the Mediterranean. This temperature spike—roughly ten degrees Celsius warmer than the ambient seawater—acts as a magnet for marine life.
This uncommon event has undergone investigation by academics based at the Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa. While the specific mechanism is still being researched, scientists believe the warmth provides a unique habitat or lure for sandbar and dusky sharks. The presence of these predators in this specific area is considered an unknown phenomenon in the vicinity.
The biological impact of this thermal attraction became tragically clear on April 21, 2025. A swimmer was killed in the waters off Hadera in a rare instance of collective predation involving multiple dusky sharks. Following the 1948 nation's creation, this was Israel's initial lethal shark strike; globally, it represented the debut instance where dusky sharks were confirmed to have killed a person.
Beyond the marine biology, Hadera serves as a massive industrial hub for the region. It houses the world's largest desalination plant (inaugurated in December 2009) and Israel's first paper mill, established in 1953. The city's evolution from a swampy farming colony founded in 1891 to a high-tech industrial center highlights its role as a primary junction for Israeli infrastructure.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Hadera
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