Power spots vs pokestops vs gyms

[cyndiepooh]

Power Spots come from a combination of approved Wayspots and an imported database. It was probably just added in the recent sync of Power Spots from the database if you have never seen it used before. See this explanation:

@NianticThibs

Where are Power Spots coming from? How are Power Spots chosen?

Similarly to Pokéstops and Gyms, Power Spots are built upon the Niantic Map.

Currently the locations where Power Spots can appear are a combination of unused wayspots and a recently imported new database.

• Unused wayspots: as many of you know, not all the wayspots available on our Niantic Map are used as pokéstops/gyms in Pokemon Go. Those unused wayspots have a chance to host a Power Spot.
• New database: To enhance the density of locations, particularly in areas previously devoid of them, we have recently incorporated a fresh database of locations. Note that those locations were imported while not necessarily abiding to our Wayfarer criterias.

Since Power Spots are transient, in a given area they will rotate between the available locations

You can see Power Spots on the nomination map screen as exclamation points with the toggle on. If you tap it and it just has a placeholder image instead of a photo, it was definitely an import. If it has a photo, it is harder to tell, because photos can be added to power spots through edits.