WINTER GARDEN, Fla., May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Progress Energy Florida
(PEF) today completed preparations for the 2006 hurricane season by
conducting its annual storm drill.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020923/CHM008LOGO-c)
"While our Florida service area was spared direct strikes from
hurricanes last year, we must continue to prepare for the worst," said
David McDonald, PEF's system storm coordinator. "With forecasts calling for
more active hurricane seasons, our storm-response plan must be tested and
refined so our employees are ready if disaster strikes."
The drill was coordinated from PEF's storm center facility in Winter
Garden and involved employees throughout the company. Hurricane season
begins June 1.
Last year, PEF mobilized hundreds of line crews and support personnel
to help restore power after hurricanes ravaged other states and South
Florida. As a member of the Southeastern Electric Exchange, a mutual-aid
organization for investor-owned utilities, the company dispatched employees
to the Gulf after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and to South Florida after
Hurricane Wilma left millions in the dark.
This year's drill emphasized even greater accuracy in the estimated
time it takes to restore power after a hurricane, which is critical
information for customers, especially during prolonged outages. The drill
also focused on the relationships the company has with local emergency
management agencies. When hurricanes threaten, PEF employees are assigned
to support local governments throughout the company's 35-county service
area. They work closely with local officials before, during and after
hurricanes to expedite restoration of service.
Also this year, PEF has emphasized increased public understanding of
how trees can interfere with service during storms.
"With the increased number of hurricanes in the past two years, more
people are realizing that the type of tree they plant - and location - can
have a significant effect on electric reliability for their home and their
neighbors' homes," said McDonald. "Wind-blown trees and limbs are, by far,
the leading cause of power outages."
To promote public awareness of how trees planted near power lines can
cause outages, the company recently kicked off its "Know Where You Grow"
campaign. PEF gave away 8,000 low-growing trees and shrubs to customers
throughout Florida, along with instructions on proper care and planting.
PEF is also removing and trimming numerous trees that the company has
identified as threats to electrical lines in a storm. The trees are being
removed with the permission of property owners.
Progress Energy offers these safety tips to prepare for hurricanes:
- To prepare for outages, have plenty of fresh batteries for flashlights
and radios.
- If rising water threatens your home, turn off the power at the circuit
breaker panel or fuse box before water enters your home. Have an
electrician inspect your system before turning the power back on after
flooding.
- Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands, or
while standing on a wet or damp surface.
- When using a gasoline-powered electric generator, operate it in well-
ventilated areas and only connect it to individual appliances.
Connecting a generator to a wall outlet in your home or building's
electrical system is dangerous for customers and line crews working to
restore power. Never operate a generator indoors as carbon monoxide
buildup can be fatal.
- Don't go sightseeing in your car during or after a hurricane.
Unnecessary vehicles on the road hinder crews from conducting vital
damage assessment and restoration work. Needless driving also increases
the risk of coming into contact with downed power lines, which may be
energized.
- Assume all downed power lines are live and stay away from them. If you
see a downed power line, call PEF at 800-228-8485 to report its
location.
PEF customers who lose power should call the 24-hour automated outage
line at 800-228-8485. By calling this number, customers can obtain the same
information available from our customer service associates. It is the
fastest way to report a power outage, and even offers an option to call
customers back if updates are available on when power will be restored.
This state-of-the-art technology is capable of handling more than 125,000
calls per hour during widespread outages.
For additional storm-safety tips, visit progress-energy.com/storm.
Progress Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN),
provides electricity and related services to more than 1.5 million
customers in Florida. The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla.,
and serves a territory encompassing over 20,000 square miles including the
cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as the Central Florida
area surrounding Orlando. Progress Energy is the 2005 recipient of the
prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for dedication,
commitment and sustained improvement in customer service. For more
information about Progress Energy, visit the company's Web site at
progress-energy.com.
SOURCE Progress Energy Florida
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Related links:
http://www.progress-energy.com
http://progress-energy.com/storm
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CONTACT:
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