JUNO BEACH, Fla. – Nearly 1.7 million Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) customers – or nearly 80% of those affected by Hurricane Ian – have now been restored as of 5 p.m. today.

As the third full d­­­­­ay of restoration continues, FPL is staying focused on restoring power to the remaining 459,000 customers safely and as quickly as possible with a total workforce of more than 21,000 men and women – including mutual assistance from 30 states.

The massive effort is supported by 22 staging and parking sites st­­rategically positioned for the rapid deployment of crews and equipment, which helps restore power faster. The number is down from a peak of 38 because, as FPL completes restoration in some areas, the company shifts resources and zeroes in on the hardest-hit areas.

“Despite Ian’s enormous size, intensity and devastation, our dedicated men and women have been able to overcome a multitude of challenges to bring the power back on for the vast majority of FPL customers. I’m very proud, but we’re not finished,” said Eric Silagy, chairman and CEO of FPL. “The days ahead will be challenging, but we know how difficult it is to be without power. Our customers are counting on us, and we will not stop until every customer has their lights back on.”

Restoration estimates

In the wake of a hurricane, FPL knows customers need as much information as possible in order to make decisions for their families. Every hurricane is different, but FPL’s goal is to provide customers more accurate information faster than ever before. The full schedule of estimated restoration times is outlined as follows.

Some homes and businesses may have suffered damage that makes them unable to safely accept power. Customers who notice damage need to contact a licensed electrician prior to power being restored. FPL continues to work closely with emergency responders and emergency management officials to safely energize areas that can receive power.

In addition to the crews working around the clock to restore power, damage assessment teams simultaneously rolled out across the state to determine the extent of the damage, particularly in the inaccessible portions of Southwest Florida and Volusia County. Ground assessment has proved challenging due to flooding and major road closures, but technologies like FPLAir One – the company’s fixed-wing drone which took to the skies again today – provide critical intelligence to put the right crews and the right equipment in the right places to restore power safely and as quickly as possible. FPL has also found new ways to survey damage – from riding airboats through DeSoto County to even deploying a kayak in Volusia County to put eyes inside a flooded substation.

“The resourcefulness and ingenuity displayed by our employees and all first responders throughout this challenging restoration has been awe-inspiring,” Silagy said. “I couldn’t be prouder of their commitment to restoring a sense of normalcy to our state and our communities.”

Storm-hardened system benefits customers during Hurricane Ian

For nearly two decades, FPL has invested significantly in building a stronger, smarter and more storm-resilient energy grid. While no energy grid is hurricane-proof, detailed assessments following Hurricane Ian have confirmed the resiliency of FPL’s storm-hardened energy grid:

• FPL’s power generating facilities: Even given the unprecedented devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, no significant structural damage occurred at any FPL power plant.
• FPL’s transmission system: The backbone of any electrical system, transmission lines carry high-voltage electricity from power plants to substations. FPL did not lose a single transmission structure during Hurricane Ian.
• Underground power lines: FPL is working to systematically underground neighborhood power lines, which are traditionally located in backyards and susceptible to trees and other wind-blown debris. Initial forensics show existing underground neighborhood power lines performed five times better than existing overhead neighborhood power lines in Southwest Florida, which took a direct hit from the high-end, Category 4 storm.

Immediately after a storm, FPL knows if main power lines have been damaged. If customers believe their power is out for this reason, there is no need to contact FPL. Customers should call 911 or FPL at 1-800-4OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243) only to report dangerous situations such as downed power lines or sparking electrical equipment. Customers can report an outage at FPL.com/Outage or on the FPL app.

Be certain your home or business is ready to receive power

While FPL works to restore power safely and as quickly as possible, some homes and businesses may have suffered damage that makes them unable to safely accept power. If the power is on next door but yours is not, make certain that your home or business is ready to receive it by checking the connection to FPL.

• Look at the meter, the box that holds it and connected pipes and wires on the wall of the building.
• If the meter box, pipes or wires are bent or broken, repairs may be needed before FPL can restore power. If it looks damaged, contact a licensed electrician. Do not touch damaged equipment.
• If the meter itself is damaged, restoration personnel will replace it.

If your home has water damage from leaks or flooding, water may come into contact with electrical wiring:

• Use caution when disconnecting electric appliances that are still plugged in. Don’t stand in water when operating switches, plugging in or unplugging electrical cords.
• If you have any doubts about your home's electric system or are unsure of how to proceed, call a professional, licensed electrician.
• In a flooded home, battery-powered lighting is the safest lighting source. Use flashlights when inspecting a home for possible damage.

What FPL is doing

FPL is working around the clock:

• FPL’s restoration workforce is actively responding to outages caused by this destructive and damaging storm.
• More than 21,000 restoration personnel, as well as the necessary supplies and equipment, are dedicated to the effort.
• The company is operating 22 staging and parking sites to help speed restoration. Additional sites are planned as we collapse into the hardest hit areas.
• FPL is focused on restoring power safely and as quickly as possible, and the company is asking customers to make safety their top priority as well.

Additional resources  

• How FPL restores power
• Stay safe after a storm

Customers can download the FPL app for on-the-go, instant and secure access to their accounts. Customers can report or get the latest information on an outage. The app is available for download in the iOS App Store and Google Play. To quickly download the FPL app, text the word “App” to MyFPL (69375). Customers also can sign up for storm updates by texting the word “Join” to MyFPL (69375).  

How to stay informed  

FPL communicates restoration information to customers frequently through the news media and the following resources:   

• FPL website: FPL.com   
• Twitter: twitter.com/insideFPL  
• Facebook: facebook.com/FPLconnect   
• FPL Power Tracker: FPL.com/powertracker  
• FPL Power Tracker (Northwest Florida): FPL.com/mypowertracker 
• FPL app: Download from the App Store or Google Play, or text the word “App” to MyFPL (69375)  

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Florida Power & Light Company

As America’s largest electric utility, Florida Power & Light Company serves more customers and sells more power than any other utility, providing clean, affordable, reliable electricity to approximately 5.8 million accounts, or more than 12 million people. FPL operates one of the cleanest power generation fleets in the U.S. and in 2021 won the ReliabilityOne® National Reliability Award for the sixth time in the last seven years. The company received the top ranking in the southern U.S. among large electric providers, according to J.D. Power’s 2021 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM and 2021 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction StudySM. The company was also recognized in 2020 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Escalent for the seventh consecutive year. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity.  NextEra Energy is ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2022 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies” and recognized on Fortune’s 2021 list of companies that “Change the World.” 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 and a world leader in battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

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