As Hurricane Debby approaches Florida, Florida Power & Light Company officials say the electric utility is ready and has practiced its workforce and fine-tuned its plans for restoring electric service after the storm has passed. The company asks everyone -- customers and employees -- to focus on safety before and after the storm and promises FPL will focus on minimizing customer inconvenience.

"If Debby takes out the power in our service area, our entire workforce will be devoted to getting it back," said Armando Olivera, FPL senior vice president of power systems. "Our plan calls for putting more people on the phones, more crews in the field and providing frequent status reports to customers."

FPL serves 3.8 million homes and businesses in Florida including counties along the Eastern Seaboard from the Georgia-Florida line south to Miami-Dade County and on Florida's Gulf Coast from the Bradenton-Sarasota area, south to Fort Myers and Naples.

  Steps to take to be safe and protect your family before and after a storm:

  * When winds reach 35 mph, or flooding is significant, stay out of harm's
    way.  At FPL, we care about our employees and we insist they do the
    same, so we suspend work in the field until conditions improve.
  * Stay away from downed lines, flooding and debris.  Don't walk in
    standing water and don't venture out in the dark because you won't be
    able to see a power line that could still be energized and dangerous.
  * Learn all you can about getting prepared for a storm and about being
    prepared to manage safely after a storm when utilities and normal
    community services may be temporarily interrupted.
  * If you plan to use a portable generator, run it outside and connect
    appliances directly.  Do not wire your generator directly to your
    breaker or fuse box, as it may back feed on power lines and cause
    injuries.

  How do we know who's without power and when to call:

  * Right after a storm, we'll know if large power lines have been damaged
    and you're without power.  Please help us keep the phone lines open by
    only calling FPL if you need to report an emergency like a downed power
    line or electrical equipment that is sparking and dangerous.  The number
    is 1-800-4OUTAGE.
  * If your neighborhood gets power back on a day or two after a storm --
    but you're still without power -- then please call us at 1-800-4OUTAGE.
    Please have your account number or phone number available when you call
    and an automated system will record your outage information.  This helps
    us manage the enormous task of restoring power after a hurricane --
    beginning with emergencies and essential community services.
  * Stay tuned to local radio, TV and newspapers for specific reports on
    FPL's progress in assessing and repairing damage to the electrical
    system in your area.
  * Severe hurricanes have been known to cause damage that results in many
    weeks without power.  Less severe storms can result in several days or a
    week or more without power.
  * Once we've assessed damage, we will provide an estimate of when repairs
    will be finished and power restored in your area.  If you have access to
    a computer, visit us at www.fpl.com or call 1-800-4OUTAGE for an update.

Customers are our number one priority after a storm. We use a well-tested plan to restore service. Here's how we work:

  * First we assess the overall system and repair FPL power plants and the
    major lines that carry power from plants to towns and communities.
  * Next, we restore service to essential customers who provide for
    community health, safety and public welfare -- such as hospitals,
    police, fire, communications and water, sanitary and transportation
    providers.
  * We simultaneously deploy field teams to conduct neighborhood-by-
    neighborhood damage assessments.  We do this so the right resources,
    crews and materials are assigned to each effort.  We also set up special
    staging sites to begin work in the areas that were hit the hardest.
  * After essential customers, we restore all other customers using a
    priority restoration process.  The process focuses on making repairs to
    electrical facilities that will return power to the largest number of
    people first, then the next largest number, and so on, until power is
    returned to everyone.
  * Work is not assigned according to when you called to report your outage,
    where you live or the status of your account.  Work will begin in
    multiple locations wherever we have damage and customers out of service,
    and it will progress according to a plan that prioritizes groups over
    individuals.
  * We know you want accurate information that will help you make decisions
    about how soon your power will be restored and whether to relocate or
    stay put.  Post-storm assessments take time after a severe storm, but as
    soon as we've reviewed the extent of damage to electrical facilities in
    your area, we will try to provide power restoration forecasts through
    the news media, on FPL's Web site (www.fpl.com ) and at 1-800-4OUTAGE.

  As a customer, what can I do after a storm?

  * Before you call to report an outage, check all circuit breakers or fuses
    to help determine if your service outage might be the result of a
    household problem.
  * If you have significant water damage in your home that might make it
    unsafe, call a licensed electrician for advice.
  * Visually inspect the area outside your home near the meter.  If the
    meter or any of the piping and wires on the wall of your home or office
    are gone or look damaged, call an electrician for advice.
  * If no problems are readily apparent, FPL will connect your service or
    assist in determining whether you have a household problem.
  * Visit www.fpl.com for pre- and post-storm customer tips, a Hurricane Q&A
    and -- when events occur -- news of storm restoration and maps.

EDITOR'S ADVISORY: For additional information on FPL storm preparedness,
you may wish to contact a local FPL media liaison, as follows:

Daytona/N.Florida Bob Coleman 904-254-2350
Brevard/Orlando Sandy Sanderson 321-726-4955
Treasure Coast Rachel Scott 561-781-3118
Palm Beach Rod Macon 561-640-2201
Broward Lynn Shatas 954-321-2215
Sarasota/Bradenton Mel Klein 941-708-2901
Fort Myers/Naples Grover Whidden 941-332-9291
Miami-Dade, Broward & Corporate Communications 305-552-3888
West Palm Beach
Miami-Dade (Hispanic} Manny Rodriguez 305-552-3443
Other FPL Group, Inc. press releases are available at no charge through
PR Newswire's Company News On-Call fax service and on PRN's Web site. For a
menu of FPL Group, Inc. press releases or to retrieve a specific release, call
800-758-5804, ext. 319763, or http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/319763.html

SOURCE: Florida Power & Light Company