Republic City power plant

The Republic City power plant is a facility that provides electricity to Republic City's populace by means of lightning generation conducted on-site by firebenders.

History
In an effort to raise the thirty thousand yuans needed to enter the Fire Ferrets into the Pro-bending Tournament, Mako found employment generating lightning at the power plant.

Operation
The power plant's workers direct their lightning toward the tip of a machine, which absorbs the electricity and stores it within batteries. The electrical energy is then channeled to the power lines surrounding the factory, which extend across the city and distribute power to its many boroughs.

At least six employees work in the machine room at a time. The workers do not generate electricity continuously, but periodically rest themselves for a brief moment before re-initiating another stream of lightning. As a precautionary measure, employees cover their face with a metal mask when working, and are all clothed with a protective black chest plate over their white shirt. The laborers are notified of the end of their working hours by a horn.

Trivia

 * During Avatar Aang's lifetime, lightning generation was not a common ability, and despite it becoming more common seventy years later, the skill is still held in high regard, earning the firebenders working in the power plant "decent money".