JUNO BEACH, Fla. - As Tropical Storm Ian intensifies and potentially becomes a major hurricane, Florida Power & Light Company is preparing for its arrival in Florida and is urging customers to prepare now for the possibility of extensive power outages.
'We recognize that the uncertainty in the forecasted trajectory and projected strength of Tropical Storm Ian can make many of our customers feel uncomfortable and a little anxious, and we want them to know that we are preparing and will be ready to respond,' said FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy. 'We have activated our emergency response plan in anticipation of the storm's impact on our service area.'
FPL is building a restoration workforce ready to respond safely and as quickly as possible. In addition to power line workers, the restoration workforce includes tree-mowing professionals who perform the critical task of removing trees and other vegetation that fly and fall on power lines. It also includes drone pilots that allow the company to quickly detect any damage to make sure the right crews and equipment are deployed in the right place.
'FPL operates tens of thousands of miles of overhead power lines surrounded by millions of trees. Storms like this are nature's way of cleaning up debris, and vegetation and other debris are likely to cause electrical outages and challenges in restoring power,' Silagy said.
The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center, issued at 11 a.m., indicates that uncertainty in the path and strength of the storm continues. Regardless, FPL urges its customers to prepare for potential hurricane-force winds, heavy rain, storm surges, flooding and the threat of tornadoes in parts of Florida.
'Although no power grid is hurricane-proof, since the historic hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005, FPL has made significant investments to build a stronger, smarter, and more storm-resistant power grid to provide electricity that our customers can count on in good and bad weather.' Silagy said. 'We can also proactively plant branches and other vegetation from thousands of miles of power lines each year. These investments have benefited customers during past storms, significantly accelerating restoration efforts.'
Storms can change at any time and there remains uncertainty in the path of Tropical Storm Ian. FPL urges clients to review their family and business emergency plans, closely monitor the storm's development, and follow the advice of local, state and federal elected officials. Preparation and safety tips are available at FPL.com/Storm.
The 2022 hurricane season has already severely affected U.S. citizens. Hurricane Fiona caused massive power outages after hitting Puerto Rico this month. FPL's charitable arm, NextEra Energy Foundation, is donating $25,000 to relief efforts in Puerto Rico and matching any contributions from its employees up to $25,000.
Additional resources:
How We Prepare for Storm Season
How FPL Restores Power Service
Stay safe before a storm
Customers can download the FPL app for immediate and secure access to their accounts and can report or obtain the latest information about a power outage. The app is available for download on the iOS App Store and Google Play. To quickly download the FPL app, text the word 'App' to MyFPL (69375). Customers can also sign up to receive storm updates by texting the word 'Join' to MyFPL (69375).
How to stay informed
FPL provides its customers with information on restoring power frequently through the media and the following resources:
THE FPL Website: FPL.com
Twitter: twitter.com/insideFPL
Facebook: facebook.com/FPLconnect
FPL's Power Tracker Map: FPL.com/powertracker
FPL Power Tracker Map (Northwest Florida): FPL.com/mypowertracker
The FPL Mobile App: Download from the iOS App Store or Google Play, or send a message with the word 'App' to MyFPL (69375).
Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest vertically integrated regulated rate electric power company in the United States as measured by retail electricity produced and sold. The company provides service to approximately 5.8 million customer accounts supporting more than 12 million residents in the state of Florida with clean, reliable and affordable electricity. FPL operates one of the cleanest power generation fleets in the United States and in 2021 won ReliabilityOne's National Reliability Excellence Award for the sixth time in the past seven years. The company received the highest ranking in the southern U.S. among large electricity providers, according to the 2021 Electric Utilities Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySm of J.D. Power and the Electric Services Commercial Customer Satisfaction StudySm 2021. The company was also recognized in 2020 by Escalent as one of the most reliable electricity companies in the United States for the seventh consecutive year. FPL is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, and is a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity. NextEra Energy has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utility industry on Fortune's 2021 list of 'World's Most Admired Companies' and is recognized on fortune's 2021 list of 'Changing the World' companies. NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, along with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest renewable energy generator of wind and sun and a global leader in battery storage. To learn more about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
Contact:
FPL Media
T: 561-694-4442
Email: Media.Relations@FPL.com
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