JUNO BEACH, Fla. – For the fourth time in the 2020 hurricane season, Florida Power & Light Company today is deploying employees and contractors to support power restoration in anticipation of an approaching hurricane. A deployment of more than 450 employees and contractors will assist Entergy Louisiana and American Electric Power with their restoration after Hurricane Delta has passed.
“We know how critical it is to get assistance from other utilities after a hurricane and to preposition crews ahead of time,” said Eric Silagy, FPL president and CEO. “As Floridians with lessons learned from decades of storms, we believe this tried and true process of having boots on the ground before a storm hits is the fastest way to restoring power as soon as it is safe to do so. In this historically active season, it is a good reminder that we must never let our guard down and always work together to help each other in the aftermath of natural disasters.”
The workers, who began their journey Thursday morning, will travel to Louisiana to help wherever they are needed.
Due to the pandemic, crews will follow safety guidelines to keep everyone safe, including social distancing, increased sanitation measures and wearing masks where appropriate. Signs on trucks remind the public to honor the 6 feet social distancing requirements that help keep the crews and the public safe while they work.
Before traveling to Louisiana, FPL crews have deployed to provide mutual assistance three previous times this hurricane season. The first occurred following Hurricane Isaias when crews traveled to New Jersey, helping to restore thousands of homes and business. After Category 4 Hurricane Laura made landfall near Lake Charles, La., crews were sent to Louisiana and Texas, along with critical equipment to assist restoration efforts. Finally, FPL lent a helping hand to its sister company, Gulf Power, in the wake of Hurricane Sally.
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Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest energy company in the United States as measured by retail electricity produced and sold, serving more than 5.1 million customer accounts or an estimated 10 million+ people across the state of Florida. FPL’s typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30% lower than the latest national average and among the lowest in the U.S. FPL’s service reliability is better than 99.98%, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all electric companies nationwide. The company was recognized in 2020 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Escalent for the seventh consecutive year. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,900 employees, 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, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2020 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of Gulf Power Company, which serves approximately 470,000 customers in eight counties throughout northwest Florida, and 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.GulfPower.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com
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