JUNO BEACH, Fla. – As Hurricane Isaias moves closer to the state, Florida Power & Light Company is finalizing preparations to restore service safely and as quickly as possible and urges customers to prepare now for possible power outages.
“While the ultimate track and intensity of Hurricane Isaias remains uncertain, we won’t let down our guard as the forecast takes shape, as we know there is simply no such thing as a ‘weak’ tropical storm or hurricane,” said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. “This is especially important given that none of us has ever been in the position we find ourselves in today – staring down a tropical system during a global pandemic. Our commitment to our customers has not changed despite COVID-19: We will work around the clock and we won’t stop until we get the lights back on for every single customer.”
FPL anticipates that a large portion of its service area may feel the effects of Isaias and potentially experience power outages because of the tropical storm-force winds extending more than 200 miles from the center of the storm. Customers are urged to take the time now to prepare for potentially prolonged outages. Additionally, given the nature of the approaching storm and expected vegetation-related impacts on FPL equipment, some customers may experience more than one outage throughout the duration of the storm.
“We know that our customers are counting on us now more than ever,” said Silagy. “FPL is determined to meet this unprecedented challenge. We are mobilizing and pre-positioning our restoration workforce, so these brave men and women can quickly start working as soon as it is safe to do so. We are also bringing in crews from our sister company Gulf Power and have secured more than 2,000 additional restoration personnel from nearly 10 states. We are committed to restoring service in between bands of severe weather, as long as winds are below 35 MPH and conditions are safe, and we will work 24/7 to restore affected customers as Isaias moves north along the coast.”
In response to the global coronavirus pandemic, our plan includes many precautionary measures for the safety of our customers and our restoration workforce. This includes daily health screenings for restoration personnel and adjusting the layout of staging sites where large numbers of restoration workers gather to allow for as much social distancing as possible and adding more micro-staging sites.
FPL urges customers to review their family and business emergency plans, keep a close watch on the development of the storm and heed warnings and evacuation orders by local, state and federal elected officials. Preparation and safety tips are available at FPL.com/Storm.
What we’re doing
At FPL, we’re finalizing preparations for the impact of Isaias:
- We’re mobilizing and pre-positioning our restoration workforce, so they can quickly start working as soon as it is safe to do so. More than 10,000 personnel are committed to the effort.
- We are bringing in more than 100 personnel from our sister company Gulf Power.
- We have secured more than 2,000 additional external personnel.
- We have reallocated additional resources within the company to help speed the restoration effort.
- We’ve prepared to position our crews at 15 sites throughout our service area to speed restoration.
- We are coordinating our response with county and state emergency operations centers.
Additional resources
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 blog: FPLblog.com
- FPL Power Tracker: FPL.com/powertracker
- FPL app: Download from the App Store or Google Play, or text the word “App” to MyFPL (69375)
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.
For further information: Media Line: 561-694-4442 @FPL_Newsroom