The latest: FPL has restored power to 98% of customers affected by Hurricane Idalia and is continuing work in the hardest hit communities of North Florida that were in the powerful storm’s direct path. Navigating widespread tree damage, FPL’s restoration workforce is now going road-by-road and house-by-house to restore power safely and as quickly as possible.
What’s next: FPL’s workforce is focused on the remaining customers without service in Columbia and Suwannee counties, having completed restoration in all other areas impacted by Idalia. These counties present a variety of challenging conditions, including trees toppled by the hurricane’s destructive winds. For perspective, specialized crews must cut back and clear trees and other vegetation from FPL’s equipment before the company can repair the energy grid and restore service to customers. FPL remains on track to having power essentially restored to all customers affected who can safely receive service by the end of today, Friday, Sept. 1.
By the numbers:
- More than 197,000 customers restored as of 8 a.m.
- Approximately 2,400 customers without power as of 8 a.m.
- Nearly 70,000 outages avoided due to smart grid technology
What FPL is doing:
- FPL is dedicated to restoring service to every customer impacted by Hurricane Idalia that can safely receive it.
- As debris and vegetation are cleared from the hardest hit areas of North Florida, crews are working to restore power safely and as quickly as possible.
What customers should do after the storm:
- Safety is FPL’s top priority. 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 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.
A word from FPL President and CEO Armando Pimentel:
“Our crews are relentlessly focused on getting the lights back on for our customers that experienced the full wrath of Hurricane Idalia in the hardest hit areas of North Florida. As roads and restoration zones are cleared of debris, we are continuing to restore power safely and as quickly as possible – and we won’t stop until we restore service for all of our customers that can receive it.”
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
FPL has essentially completed restoration in Southwest Florida and continues to restore power in the hardest-hit areas of North Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. As of 8 a.m., FPL’s round-the-clock effort has restored power to more than 190,000 customers.
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. 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.
Idalia has strengthened into a hurricane, continues to intensify and has the potential to impact customers prior to its likely landfall Wednesday on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Idalia will cause widespread power outages and could remain at hurricane strength as it crosses the state.
Tropical Storm Idalia continues to intensify on its path toward Florida and is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane Wednesday. FPL is making final preparations and strategically pre-positioning crews and equipment.