• 4,300 field personnel mobilized to respond as storm moves
• Customers asked to report outages
• Safety is FPL’s first priority

JUNO BEACH, Fla. – Florida Power & Light Company has been actively responding to scattered power outages as Fay continues to move across the state. The company has mobilized 4,300 FPL field personnel and out-of-state utility personnel to respond as quickly as possible.

As of 11:00 a.m., about 93,000 customers across the state were out of power but this number was expected to fluctuate over the course of the day as the storm moved and FPL crews restored power.  So far, damage to the electrical infrastructure has been minimal.

While still subject to changing storm conditions, the company currently anticipates that customers in Miami-Dade and Broward counties will be essentially restored by the end of today. The company is actively restoring power in Palm Beach County and on the west coast of the state even as the storm continues to move through these areas. A more specific update for these areas will be provided after tropical storm winds subside.

“Our focus is on restoring every customer to service quickly and safely. We understand how inconvenient it is to be without power. We were very well prepared for this storm, and we’re very pleased that the storm did minimal damage to our facilities, but we won’t rest until we get the lights back on for every customer,” said FPL Director of Customer Support Irene White.

Customers asked to report power outages

At this time, FPL is asking customers to use FPL’s automated system (1-800-4-OUTAGE) to report power outages.  Using the FPL account number or their phone number, customers can quickly report their outage. Customers with internet access can also report their outage at www.FPL.com.

Safety is FPL’s first priority

FPL advises its customers to follow the advice of their local emergency management officials and visit www.FPL.com for more information on storm safety. The company offers the following tips:

• Customers using a portable generator should check the manufacturer’s recommendations and follow them for proper use. If your plan includes operating a portable generator, wait until the storm has passed and be sure to set it up outside and connect appliances directly to it.  Please do not wire your generator directly to your breaker or fuse box, because the power you generate may flow back into power lines and cause injuries. Only a licensed electrician should connect a generator to a main electrical panel. Never operate a generator inside your home or even in the garage, and keep generators well away from open windows so exhaust does not enter your home or a neighbor’s home.
• Stay far away from downed power lines, flooding and debris. Don’t walk in standing water and don’t venture out in the dark because you might not see a downed power line that could be energized and dangerous.  If you see a downed power line, call 911 or call FPL at 1-800-4-OUTAGE.

Florida Power & Light Company is a subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE: FPL). Florida Power & Light Company serves 4.5 million customer accounts in 35 counties in Florida. Additional information is available at www.FPL.com.