FPL mobilizes restoration workforce of nearly 16,000; urges customers to take precautions as powerful Hurricane Dorian approaches

JUNO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As Hurricane Dorian moves closer to the state, Florida Power & Light Company is making final preparations to restore service safely and as quickly as possible after what is forecast to be a very damaging and dangerous storm.

"As Hurricane Dorian approaches Florida as a major hurricane, FPL is taking this storm extremely seriously. We have nearly 16,000 personnel committed to the restoration effort, and we're working to acquire thousands more resources from across the country in advance of the storm's landfall," said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. "We're planning for 24 staging sites to pre-position our team to be ready to restore power as soon as it is safe. While there is much uncertainty regarding the exact path of the storm, the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center indicates that Dorian is forecast to be a powerful, slow-moving storm bringing high winds, torrential rain and storm surge to a large part of our service area. We will likely see significant destruction that could require extended restoration efforts and may require crews to rebuild parts of our energy grid – a labor-intensive task that could be measured in weeks, not days. We're better prepared for hurricanes now than any time in FPL's history, but no electric company is hurricane-proof. That said, we're committed to restoring power safely and as quickly as possible for our customers."

FPL anticipates that a large portion of its service area will feel the impacts of Dorian and may experience power outages. 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. Customers are urged to finalize preparations for homes and families; heed warnings and evacuation orders from local, state and federal officials; and keep a close eye on the development of this storm.

What we're doing
At FPL, we have activated our emergency response plan, which includes:

• Pre-positioning our workforce of nearly 16,000, including FPL employees and out-of-state utilities and contractors, and their equipment to speed restoration.
• Acquiring additional restoration personnel from across the United States, and pre-positioning those already on hand.
• Finalizing logistics for staging sites in the areas most likely to be affected.
• Coordinating our response with county and state emergency operations centers.

By the numbers

• Nearly 16,000 restoration personnel committed.
• 24 staging sites planned.

Additional resources

• How we prepare for storm season
• How FPL restores power
• Stay safe before a storm

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 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 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 2018 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Market Strategies International for the fifth 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 2019 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." NextEra Energy is also the parent company of Gulf Power Company, which serves more than 460,000 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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SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company