'We Care About Safety -- Yours And Ours -- And Getting
Your Power Back With As Little Inconvenience, And As
Quickly As Possible.'
JUNO BEACH, Fla., May 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Hurricane season is here and
Florida Power & Light Company has practiced its workforce and fine-tuned its
plans for restoring electric service. FPL's focus is on customer and
workforce safety and on minimizing the inconvenience to customers.
"When a severe storm or hurricane takes out your electricity service, our
entire workforce will be focused on getting it back," said Armando Olivera,
FPL senior vice president of power systems. "Our plan calls for putting more
people on the phones, more crews in the field and providing frequent status
reports to customers."
Steps to take to be safe and protect your family before and after a storm:
* When winds reach 35 mph, or flooding is significant, stay out of harm's
way. We care about our employees and we insist they too remain safe, so we
suspend work in the field until conditions improve.
* Stay away from downed lines, flooding and debris. Don't walk in
standing water and don't venture out in the dark because you might not see a
power line that could still be energized and dangerous.
* Learn all you can about getting prepared for a storm and about being
prepared to manage safely after a storm when utilities and normal community
services may be temporarily interrupted.
* If you plan to use a portable generator, run it outside and connect
appliances directly. Do not wire your generator directly to your breaker or
fuse box, because the power it creates may flow back into power lines and
cause injuries.
How does FPL know who's without power and when to call:
* Right after a storm, we'll know if large power lines have been damaged
and you're without power. Please help us keep the phone lines open by only
calling FPL if you need to report an emergency like a downed power line or
electrical equipment that is sparking and dangerous. The number is
1-800-4OUTAGE.
* If your neighborhood gets power back on a day or two after a storm --
but you're still without power -- then please call us at 1-800-4OUTAGE.
Please have your account number or phone number available when you call and an
automated system will record your outage information. This system helps us
manage the enormous task of restoring power after a hurricane -- beginning
with emergencies and essential community services.
* Stay tuned to local radio, TV and newspapers for specific reports on
FPL's progress in assessing and repairing damage to the electrical system in
your area.
* Severe hurricanes have been known to cause damage that results in many
weeks without power. Less severe storms can result in several days or a week
or more without power.
* Once we've assessed damage, we will provide an estimate of when repairs
will be finished and power restored in your area. If you have access to a
computer, visit us at http://www.fpl.com or call 1-800-4OUTAGE for an update.
Customers are our number one priority after a storm. We use a well-tested
plan to restore service. Here's how we work:
* First we assess the overall system and repair FPL power plants and the
major lines that carry power from plants to towns and communities.
* Next, we restore service to essential customers who provide for
community health, safety and public welfare -- such as hospitals, police,
fire, communications and water, sanitary and transportation providers.
* We simultaneously deploy field teams to conduct neighborhood-by-
neighborhood damage assessments. We do this so the right resources, crews and
materials are assigned to each effort. We also set up special staging sites
to begin work in the areas that were hit the hardest.
* After essential customers, we restore all other customers using a
priority restoration process. The process focuses on making repairs to
electrical facilities that will return power to the largest number of people
first, then the next largest number, and so on, until power is returned to
everyone.
* Work is not assigned according to when you called to report your outage,
where you live or the status of your account. Work will begin in multiple
locations wherever we have damage and customers out of service, and it will
progress according to a plan that prioritizes groups over individuals.
* We know you want accurate information that will help you make decisions
about whether to relocate or stay put. Post-storm assessments take time after
a severe storm, but as soon as we've reviewed the extent of damage to
electrical facilities in your area, we will try to provide power restoration
forecasts through the news media, on FPL's Web site (http://www.fpl.com) and at
1-800-4OUTAGE.
As a customer, what can I do after a storm?
* Before you call to report an outage, check all circuit breakers or fuses
to help determine if your service outage might be the result of a household
problem.
* If you have significant water damage in your home that might make it
unsafe, call a licensed electrician for advice.
* Visually inspect the area outside your home near the meter. If the
meter or any of the piping and wires on the wall of your home or office are
gone or look damaged, call an electrician for advice.
* If no problems are readily apparent, FPL will connect your service or
assist in determining whether you have a household problem.
* Visit http://www.fpl.com for pre- and post-storm customer tips, a Hurricane Q&A
and -- when events occur -- news of storm restoration and maps.
FPL'S Hurricane Q&As
All our electric service restoration efforts focus on customer and
community health, safety and public welfare.
Q. What are FPL's priorities for service restoration?
A. First, FPL will work around the clock until service is restored, though
daylight hours are needed for most activities. Safety of personnel, and the
public will remain our highest priority. The priorities are:
* Assessing the overall system and repairing power plants, major lines and
substations that carry power from plants to communities.
* Restoring power to key services essential to community safety, health
and welfare -- such as hospitals, police, fire, communications and water,
sanitary and transportation providers.
* Making repairs to electrical facilities that will return service to the
largest number of customers in the shortest period of time, then the next
largest number and so on until power is returned to everyone.
Q. Do politicians and other important individuals get special attention?
A. No. FPL does not give preferential treatment. It is contrary to the
hurricane restoration plan and company policy to single out any individual for
priority electric service restoration. Work is not assigned according to when
customers report their outage, where they live or the status of their account.
Q. Does FPL know I've lost electric service after a storm? Should I call
to report my outage?
A. Right after a storm, we'll know if large power lines have been damaged
and you're without power. So rather than calling us right away, please help
us keep the phone lines open. If you need to report an emergency like a
downed power line or electrical equipment that is sparking and dangerous,
please call immediately. The number is 1-800-4OUTAGE.
Q. How does FPL determine who has lost service and what repairs are
needed?
A. We make an initial damage assessment of our system by observation,
often from helicopters, once weather permits. These initial observations help
us understand the repairs that we may need to make to key facilities like
power plants, substations and main power lines before we can begin the
restoration process for customers. After the initial assessment -- and once
it's safe for our employees to begin work -- we dispatch patrol teams to
conduct neighborhood-by-neighborhood assessments. These teams report
electrical equipment damage and what repairs may be needed.
Q. When should I call?
A. Once your neighborhood gets electric service restored, if you're still
without power -- then please call us at 1-800-4OUTAGE. Have your account
number or phone number available when you call to report your outage and an
automated system will record your information and ensure a report is generated
to get it fixed.
Q. What can customers do to help get their power back?
A. Before calling to report an outage:
* Check all circuit breakers or fuses to help determine if your service
outage might be the result of a household problem.
* Call a licensed electrician if you have significant water damage in your
home that might make it unsafe.
* Inspect the area outside your home near the meter. If the meter or any
of the piping and wires on the wall of your home or office are gone or look
damaged, call an electrician. You may need to make repairs to home wiring
before FPL can reconnect your power. If no problems are readily apparent, FPL
will connect your service or assist in determining if you have a household
problem.
Q. How does FPL provide for people with special medical problems, such as
those on life sustaining medical equipment?
A. Any customer who has continuously operating, electric-powered medical
equipment at home that is necessary to sustain life or avoid serious medical
complications may participate in FPL's medical essential service program. For
more information visit http://www.fpl.com/html/home_health.html or call FPL to
request an application and a physician's certification form.
Q. When will FPL be working before and after the storm?
A. FPL does not attempt to restore service when winds are at or above 35
mph. Working in those conditions would endanger the safety of our employees.
As soon as the storm has passed and winds have died down, assessments will be
made and crews deployed.
Q. Does FPL shut down its power plants when a hurricane approaches?
A. All of FPL's power plants are designed to weather the high winds and
water from a hurricane. Plants would be operated based on employee safety,
customer energy needs and availability of other facilities to produce or
transmit power. As a precautionary measure, our two nuclear plants will be
shut down two hours prior to the anticipated onset of hurricane force winds.
The units would remain shut down until the hurricane has passed, then
inspected and returned to service.
Q. Will a hurricane have any effect on FPL's nuclear power plant sites?
A. A severe storm or hurricane at either of our nuclear power plant sites
should pose no danger to the public. FPL operates four nuclear reactors at
two sites. St. Lucie is located on Hutchinson Island near Fort Pierce,
Florida. Turkey Point is located in Florida City, south of Miami. Both
plants are designed and constructed to withstand the effects of a "worst-case"
hurricane or tornado. All safety-related structures, such as the reactor
buildings and emergency power supplies, are designed to withstand the effects
of a direct storm strike.
Q. How can I tell the difference between telephone, television cable and
electrical lines? How can I tell if standing water is electrified? How can I
tell if a fallen line still has electricity in it?
A. Consider all cables and wires as being energized regardless of whether
they are electrical, cable television or telephone. If a line is in the
water, there is even more reason to be cautious and consider it and the water
energized. Please keep children away from all flooded areas and areas with
lots of debris as the water or storm debris could be hiding an energized line.
Q. Is it safe for me to walk in my neighborhood right after the storm
passes, just to get out of the house, or to determine how bad the neighborhood
got hit by the storm?
A. Stay away from downed lines, flooding and debris. Don't walk in
standing water and don't venture out in the dark, because you won't be able to
see a power line that could still be energized and dangerous.
Q. How should I hook up my portable electrical generator?
A. Appliances should be plugged directly into a portable generator, using
extension cords if necessary. For your safety, run portable generators
outside the house so the generator gets proper ventilation. Check the
manufacturer's recommendations and follow them for proper use and load. If
you have any doubts, consult a licensed electrician. Only a licensed
electrician should attempt to hook up a generator to the main electric panel
of a home or business. If you improperly connect to a main panel, power can
"back feed" from the generator, including RV generators, into utility lines
and injure a neighbor, property or utility crews working to restore service.
Q. How many appliances can I connect and run from my portable generator?
A. Consult the manufacturer's instructions. Each generator has a rated
wattage, which provides a limit for how many appliances it will safely power.
Add together the wattage of different appliances, and do not exceed the
manufacturer's total rated wattage for the generator.
Q. How will fallen trees near power lines be handled?
A. One of our top priorities will be to remove trees and debris that have
damaged electrical equipment and are preventing service restoration.
Customers should not attempt to remove or trim foliage within 10 feet of a
power line. If a tree or tree limbs have fallen on a power line or pulled it
down, do not attempt to get close to the line. If the line is sparking, call
FPL at 1-800-4OUTAGE and report it as an emergency. Safety should always be
your first priority when pruning. Look up. Be especially careful when
working with a ladder, scaffold, pole or tree in your yard. Do not do any
trimming near a power line.
Q. What precautions should I take if I'm returning to a home or business
that has been flooded?
A. If you have any doubts about the integrity of your home or office
electrical system as a result of flooding, check with local officials or a
licensed electrician.
* Do not stand in water when operating switches, plugging in or unplugging
appliances or resetting breakers or replacing fuses.
* Do not attempt to reset breakers or replace fuses until all water has
receded. Use caution. Some circuits above the flood level may still be
energized.
* Disconnect all electrical appliances before attempting to reset breakers
or replace fuses. Be sure to wear dry shoes with rubber soles and stand on
something dry and non-conductive, such as a dry piece of wood or wooden
furniture.
* Use a dry and non-conductive "tool" such as a wooden stick or piece of
PVC pipe in one hand when resetting breakers. Place the other hand behind
your back. Do not make contact with the metal breaker box and other grounded
objects in the area.
* Call a licensed electrician if breakers will not reset and continue to
trip. This condition might indicate a short circuit in your electrical
system.
* Check for water damage in all appliances and make sure cords and other
parts are dry before re-plugging them into wall sockets.
* Disconnect an appliance immediately if a breaker trips, a fuse blows, or
you see smoke or smell a burning odor. Have it checked by a qualified
appliance serviceman.
Q. Why would FPL crews pass my house without repairing anything?
A. If you see an FPL crew passing but not stopping, it may be because work
at a nearby location must be performed before electric service can be restored
to you and your neighbors.
Q. Why am I the only house on the block without power?
A. Fuses or circuit breakers in your home could have tripped and halted
power, tree limbs could have fallen on the line serving your home, fuses on
the transformer that serves your home may have tripped or could be damaged,
and the primary line feeding the transformer could be damaged.
Q. Can I pay an electrician to change my FPL service wires or cables?
A. No. Electricians are not allowed to work on FPL lines from the pole or
transformer to your house. Your electrician handles work that needs to be
done from the meter to inside the house, including your circuit breakers and
home wiring.
Q. Why do I only have electricity in one part of my house?
A. You could have a tripped circuit breaker, a blown fuse or a broken
connector or wire at one of the service leads to your house. Sometimes damage
to these leads leaves only the 120-volt outlets (or some of them) working. In
this case, larger appliances that need 240-volt service, such as water
heaters, air conditioning and ovens, may be inoperable until repairs are made.
It is safe to use the outlets you have available, while you check with an
electrician. If it's a problem with a service lead to your home, FPL crews
will repair the wires when they arrive to restore service.
Q. If my lights come on, can I expect them to stay on?
A. Once service is restored, we make every effort to keep it on; however,
as we repair other parts of our system, some interruptions may occur.
Q. What about my bill if I have to relocate? Will I be charged a late
fee?
A. We recognize that some areas may be damaged so much that normal
household routines, including bill paying, could be disrupted for a period of
time. If you have incurred significant damage to your home or business that
forces you to relocate, please contact FPL regarding your account and address,
and we will work with you to resolve billing and late fee issues.
Q. The electrical service line from the pole to my house appears to be
pulled away from the house. What should I do?
A. FPL personnel will be inspecting service lines and will determine if an
electrician is required to fix the damage or if FPL can make repairs. Piping
that houses wires attached to the side of your home or business is considered
part of the house wiring and can only be worked on by a licensed electrician.
Q. Why are my electric motors or machines running backward?
A. Turn off the machinery immediately and call FPL. A technician will
determine whether electric power phases were connected properly.
Q. Would FPL pay for food that spoils?
A. FPL cannot guarantee continuity of service, so there is not a
requirement that we pay for food that might spoil due to electric service
interruptions.
Q. Would FPL pay for damage to appliances, electronic equipment or other
personal property damaged in a power loss or during power restoration?
A. FPL cannot guarantee continuity of service, so there is not a
requirement that we pay for damage. Following a storm, it's possible that
service restored in one spot could be temporarily impacted by work elsewhere,
including an accident or emergency condition that requires us to temporarily
turn power off at the request of police or fire. We encourage customers to
consider precautions, such as unplugging, turning off or limiting use of
electronically sensitive and/or non-essential appliances.
Q. What are the vulnerabilities of underground and overhead electric
service?
A. Overhead lines are exposed to high winds and flying debris.
Underground facilities can be subject to flooding. Repair and replacement
time is about the same for equipment with similar functions. Repairs may take
longer if an underground fault needs to be located and repaired.
Q. How will FPL restore streetlights and traffic signals?
A. Traffic signals will be prioritized at the request of the city or
county that owns or maintains them. City or county workers may need to repair
or replace damaged traffic signals and streetlights they own before FPL can
re-energize lines that power them.
Q. Are there some general expectations regarding how long restoration
might take following a hurricane? What kind of situations could prolong the
effort?
A. Restoration will depend in part on how many cities and counties are
significantly impacted. FPL's service territory covers 34 counties. In the
case of Florida's Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and North Carolina's Hurricane Hugo
in 1989, some customers were without electric service for up to five weeks.
In 1995, Hurricane Erin's damage to parts of FPL's system left some customers
without power for up to five days. Restoring power took four days following
Hurricane Irene in 1999.
Q. What plans does FPL have to bring in outside crews?
A. Virtually every FPL employee is mobilized to assist in storm
restoration in some way. Additionally, we call on other utilities and
contractors, such as tree trimming crews, to assist. FPL has mutual
assistance agreements with utilities in Florida and neighboring states. If
damage from a storm exceeds our capability to restore service in a reasonable
time, we will request crews from other utilities.
Q. How will you provide service to areas that may be unaffected by
widespread outages or hurricane damage?
A. In areas not affected by the storm, only a minimum number of crews will
be left to handle emergency calls. We especially ask the patience of
customers in unaffected areas while we work to restore service elsewhere.
Q. At what point is FPL likely to have specific data about remaining
outages by street address and/or neighborhood?
A. Following a major storm it could take us three to five days or more to
fully assess the situation and reach a point where restoration estimates could
be made for localized neighborhoods and individuals.
Q. How will FPL employees help in the hurricane restoration?
A. FPL trains qualified office workers to provide support to our regular
power line crews. FPL people from around the state are trained to patrol and
make field assessments, as well as to handle numerous field support roles
needed to staff storm restoration activities at service centers and crew
staging sites. Extra personnel are brought in to staff phones around the clock
on 12-hour shifts in FPL's two regional phone centers. Our focus in the field
and throughout the company is on safe, speedy assessment and restoration.
Q. How does FPL manage increased calls during an emergency?
A. Our call centers use an automated outage reporting system, which takes
customer calls and generates reports for prioritization according to our
restoration plan. In an emergency, extra lines and additional people are
assigned to the customer care phone centers to help facilitate the increased
call volume. These individuals handle primarily emergency calls immediately
after a storm and continue to work 12-hour shifts until service is restored to
all customers.
SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company
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Related links:
http://www.fpl.com /Web site:
http://www.fplgroup.com
CONTACT:
Florida Power & Light Company Corporate
Communications Media Line, 305-552-3888
EDITOR'S ADVISORY: Not for publication, for media use only. For
additional information on FPL storm preparedness, you may wish to
contact a local FPL media liaison, as follows: Daytona-N. Florida
Bob Coleman 904-254-2350
Brevard-Orlando Sandy Sanderson
321-726-4955 Treasure Coast Rachel Scott
561-781-3118 Palm Beach Rod
Macon 561-640-2201 Broward
Lynn Shatas 954-321-2215 Sarasota-Bradenton
Mel Klein 941-708-2901 Fort Myers-Naples
Grover Whidden 941-332-9291 Miami-Dade, Broward
& West Palm Beach Corporate Communications
305-552-3888 Miami-Dade (Hispanic) Betty Marsenison
305-552-3888
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