The latest: Idalia made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region Wednesday morning as a major hurricane, packing destructive wind, torrential rain and life-threatening storm surge. Idalia remains a hurricane as it moves across North Florida. FPL worked safely through the evening and morning hours and, as of 11 a.m., has already restored power to more than 100,000 customers -- thousands because of smart grid technology. Outages are expected to increase as Idalia continues to affect FPL’s customers in the path of the storm.

Why it matters: Idalia’s threat to Florida is far from over. Customers should expect widespread outages throughout the day as Idalia moves through the state. As conditions allow, FPL will conduct critical damage assessments and continue restoring power safely and as quickly as possible.

By the numbers:

• More than 100,000 customers restored as of 11 a.m.
• Approximately 28,000 customers without power as of 11 a.m.
• Restoration workforce of 12,000 men and women from Florida and 16 other states.
• More than a dozen staging, parking and processing sites.

What FPL is doing:

• FPL continues to actively restore power as conditions allow. 
• Once the storm has cleared an area, damage assessment teams provide visuals of the damage to get the right crews and the right equipment to the right places.
• FPL also has specialized crews to clear roads so lineworkers can gain access and restore service.

Restoration estimates: FPL understands customers want to know when power will be restored. The company is committed to providing the best estimates to customers as soon as this important information is available.

• In Southwest Florida, FPL expects to restore power to at least 95% of customers who can safely receive it by the end of Wednesday. This includes the customers FPL serves in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota counties. In some of these areas, restoration crews may need to wait for flood waters to recede before restoring power.
• In North Florida, FPL will provide estimated restoration times after damage assessments are performed. 

What customers should do after the storm:

• Safety is FPL’s top priority for its crews and customers. Even when winds subside, conditions can still be dangerous. Customers should continue to heed warnings from local emergency officials.
• Stay far away from downed power lines, flooding and debris; assume any downed line is energized and call 911 and 1-800-4-OUTAGE to report it.
• Keep roads clear for restoration workers.
• If customers must drive, they should use extreme caution. Power interruptions may cause traffic signals to stop working without warning. Florida law requires motorists to treat intersections with non-working traffic signals as a four-way stop.
• If using a portable generator, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for proper use. Never operate a generator inside your home or garage.

A word from FPL President and CEO Armando Pimentel:

“We understand how difficult it is to be without power. That’s why our dedicated men and women are working around the clock to restore power safely and as quickly as possible to get our customers’ lives back to normal. We urge customers to remain vigilant, as conditions remain dangerous.”

How FPL communicates during a storm:

• 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)   

How to reach us:

• 561-694-4442
• Media.relations@fpl.com
• @FPL_Newsroom