JUNO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- As Tropical Storm Erika approaches the Florida peninsula, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is preparing for a possible landfall in our service territory, and urges customers to prepare now for potential power outages.

The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center shows uncertainty in the storm's path and intensity, with the potential for Erika to impact Florida's East Coast as early as Sunday.

"We have activated our emergency response plan in anticipation of Erika's possible impact on our service territory. We are positioning workers for rapid restoration, coordinating with state and county emergency operations centers, and securing additional restoration workers from other utilities and electrical contracting companies," said Manny Miranda, senior vice president of power delivery for FPL.

FPL urges customers to review their family and business emergency plans, and to keep a close watch on the development of the storm and follow the advice of local government.  Preparation and safety tips are available at FPL.com.

How we prepare for storm season

• Prior to storm season, we conduct extensive training to prepare our employees to respond safely and as quickly as possible if a storm threatens our service territory.
• We secure agreements for assistance from out-of-state utilities and electrical contracting companies in case additional restoration workers should be needed. We also order backup supplies and equipment, and plan staging sites throughout our 35-county service territory.
• We work closely with local emergency officials to update lists of facilities that are critical to the community, such as hospitals, police and fire stations, communication facilities, water treatment plants and transportation providers.
• We also prepare and strengthen our infrastructure throughout the year by:
  • Clearing tree limbs and branches from power lines;
  • Inspecting poles for strength;
  • Upgrading poles from wood to concrete or steel; and
  • Inspecting power lines and equipment with infrared technology to detect issues the naked eye can't see; and making any needed repairs.

Please stay safe

Safety is always FPL's first priority. We urge customers to make it their top priority, too:

• Record your FPL account number in a location that will be readily available. By knowing your account number you will be able to quickly access your account online at FPL.com, using your computer or mobile device. Also have our phone number (1-800-4OUTAGE or 1-800-468-8243) handy, in the event that you need to call to obtain information through our automated system.
• If someone in your home is dependent on electric-powered, life-sustaining medical equipment, review your family emergency plan for backup power or make arrangements to relocate when a storm warning is issued.
• If you plan to use a ladder while preparing your home for the storm, note the location of power lines before you begin. Be sure that ladders or scaffolds are far enough away so that you – and the ends of the tools you're using – stay at least 10 feet away from power lines. Before lowering a TV antenna or satellite dish, make sure to turn off and unplug the TV.
• Most counties will suspend trash and debris pickup before a storm. Please do not trim trees now, as high winds can turn cut branches into dangerous, flying debris. However, if you already have trimmed trees, please help to prevent outages by tying down or securing any of those loose branches or other debris.

Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving approximately 4.8 million customer accounts across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL's typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30 percent lower than the latest national average and, in 2014, was the lowest in Florida among reporting utilities for the fifth year in a row. FPL's service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all utilities nationwide. The company was recognized in 2014 as the most trusted U.S. electric utility by Market Strategies International, and has earned the national ServiceOne Award for outstanding customer service for an unprecedented 10 consecutive years. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,700 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, including being ranked in the top 10 worldwide for innovativeness and community responsibility as part of Fortune's 2015 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. For more information, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

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SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company