The venting cap is a critical component designed to contain and manage poisonous gases that are byproducts of a thermal power station's operations.
Following Delta 4's attack of Gedrick Power Station, seaQuest DSV 4600's hyper reality probe finds the Gedrick station's cap is currently in the process of tearing. Dr. Kristin Westphalen and her science contingent advises that the failure of the venting cap would result in poisonous gases spilling onto the ocean floor. This could have a devastating ecological impact, potentially destroying all plant and animal life within hundreds of miles due to the thermal currents that could carry the gases.
seaQuest's team utilizes military equipment to effect repairs of the cap before responding to a distress call from Westridge Farming Community (DSV: "To Be or Not to Be").