Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is actively restoring power for customers affected by Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm that struck Florida, causing widespread outages and severe weather. As of now, FPL has restored power to over 65% of affected customers, but the storm’s high winds, heavy rainfall, and significant flooding are complicating restoration efforts in many areas.
Key Information:
- Impact: Hurricane Helene left hundreds of thousands of FPL customers without power as it made landfall.
- Restoration Update (as of 6:00 a.m.):
- Over 460,000 customers restored
- Approximately 214,000 customers still without power
- A workforce of more than 10,000 from 23 states
- 14 staging and parking sites
FPL President and CEO Armando Pimentel stated: “Our system held up well, and our dedicated team continues to work around-the-clock. To our customers still without power, we have one message: We will not stop until your lights are back on.”
Current Actions by FPL:
- Continuous power restoration efforts.
- Damage assessment using drones to expedite the restoration process.
- Coordination with local emergency management to clear access for lineworkers.
- Providing estimated restoration times for customers.
Customer Safety Reminders:
- Safety is FPL’s top priority. Even after winds subside, conditions can remain hazardous. Customers should heed local emergency warnings.
- Stay away from downed power lines and debris, assuming all lines are energized.
- Exercise caution while driving, as power outages may affect traffic signals. Treat non-working signals as a four-way stop.
- If using a portable generator, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and never operate it indoors.
- Customers do not need to report outages; FPL is aware of power disruptions post-storm.
