JUNO BEACH, Fla. – Florida Power & Light Company today announced that more than 1,000 of its employees and contractors will help restore power to communities in Florida, Georgia and parts of South Carolina that have been impacted by Hurricane Michael. As part of its support, FPL is making available approximately 50 full-time contractors to assist Florida’s public safety officials with search and rescue operations. FPL also is providing mobile fueling support using the company’s fuel tankers at certain locations in the Panhandle region for Florida Highway Patrol vehicles.
“Now that we have restored service to the nearly 70,000 FPL customers who were impacted by Hurricane Michael, we are joining several of the nation’s other electric companies to help get the lights back on for our fellow American citizens,” 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 affected by this devastating storm.
“We’re also pleased to support Governor Scott and the One Florida team by providing critical mobile fueling support for FHP vehicles in the Panhandle as troopers continue with their all-important law enforcement mission,” added Silagy. “This is a terrific example of Floridians from across the state at this most critical time coming together to help Florida get back on her feet.”
FPL participates in a longstanding mutual assistance network for situations like this. FPL is sending restoration workers, contractors and support staff to assist in the restoration for as long as they are needed.
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 FPL personnel to the Northeast in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and most recently to the Carolinas following Hurricane Florence.
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.