JUNO BEACH, Fla. – Florida Power & Light Company today announced that more than 500 of its employees and contractors are traveling to the Carolinas to help restore power to the communities that are anticipated to be impacted by Hurricane Florence.
“This is what we do. When severe weather strikes, the nation’s electric companies work together to get the lights back on,” said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. “Last year, restoration workers from as far away as Canada traveled to Florida to help restore power following Hurricane Irma, and we’re honored to do the same for those in harm’s way.”
The FPL restoration workers, contractors and support staff began their more than 700-mile journey in convoys of trucks that left Florida this morning. They will remain in the Carolinas for as long as their assistance is needed.
“In Florida, we always stand ready to help our neighbors during disasters,” said Governor Rick Scott. “Yesterday, I ordered FDOT to waive weight restrictions for emergency vehicles so that we could get support to the Carolinas faster. I am proud of the work Florida is doing in preparation for Hurricane Florence and we will continue to find ways to help.”
Electric company personnel play a critical role in the restoration of power following severe weather events, such as hurricanes, ice storms and tornadoes. FPL crews have traveled across the country to help restore power following major weather events many times in the past, including the deployment of approximately 1,000 FPL personnel to the Northeast in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric company in the United States, serving nearly 5 million customer accounts or an estimated 10 million+ people across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL's typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30 percent lower than the latest national average and among the lowest in the U.S. FPL's service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all electric companies nationwide. The company was recognized in 2017 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Market Strategies International for the fourth consecutive year. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,700 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 2018 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." 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. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.