Posted on 10/29/2005 3:01:46 PM PDT by BenLurkin
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 2005--There are a few ways customers can help our crews speed up the restoration process. First, we would appreciate if they do not stop and ask the crews when power will be restored. When customers direct their questions to crews working in neighborhoods they slow the critical work of the crews whose goal is the prompt and safe restoration of electric service to all FPL customers left without service in the wake of Hurricane Wilma. Since crews receive assignments to work on particular line segments, they most likely do not know what other work must be completed before service to that area can be restored. Stopping crews to ask for specific restoration times will only result in hampering their ability to complete one job and move on to the next.
Also when driving, customers are asked to clear the way for utility trucks. This is a little thing that really helps the restoration effort move along. Customers are also asked to pile the debris from their own clean-up efforts away from utility poles and transformers so that this infrastructure is easily accessible to crews working in the area.
We thank you for your cooperation. The information you have disseminated so far has helped customers understand the restoration process.
Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE: FPL - News), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and services. With annual revenues of more than $10 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies. Florida Power & Light Company serves 4.3 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group's wholesale electricity generating subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPL.com, www.FPLGroup.com and www.FPLEnergy.com.
FPL Announces Restoration to 60 Percent of Customers Affected by Hurricane Wilma, 1.9 Million Returned to Service in 21 Counties
Saturday October 29, 5:40 pm ET
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 2005--In its fifth full day of restoration following Hurricane Wilma, Florida Power & Light Company announced that it has restored power to 60 percent of its customers impacted by the storm. By 4 p.m. service had been returned to 1.9 million customers.
Company officials said power has been restored to 80 percent of the community-designated critical infrastructure such as hospitals, police, fire and other services that are deemed critical to public safety and well being. As it brings service to these community functions, it also has energized main lines that provide power to basic service providers such as grocery stores and gasoline stations.
As power is being restored, FPL asked customers to observe the following tips to be ready for when the power comes on:
If you were cooking when the power went out, these appliances may still be on, so please make sure ovens, stoves and toasters are turned off.
Also make sure your air conditioner is turned off to protect it from surges.
FPL has mobilized 16,500 workers in the round-the-clock restoration effort and expects approximately another 1,000 restoration workers to arrive through this weekend. Assisting personnel come from 33 states and Canada and are working out of 15 staging sites in the affected areas.
While overall restoration progress remains on target, the company said significant challenges remain. Over the next few days as FPL continues to repair the remaining damaged main lines, large numbers of customers will get their electric service restored. After that, as workers attack the damage to the more numerous smaller lines - they are often faced with accessibility issues and pockets of severely damaged facilities that may require extensive repair work. As a result, restoration progress will be slower, particularly in the hardest hit areas of Palm Beach, Broward and the northern portion of Miami-Dade County.
The company has maintained its target of restoring power to approximately 95 percent of its affected customers no later than November 15. Specific restoration information for customers on a sub-county basis announced yesterday appears on www.FPL.com.
Hurricane Wilma - Customer Counts
October 29, 2005 - 4:00 p.m.
What a treat to waqke up this morning and find out I had power!
I remember when the power was out in Baton Rouge during Katrina. Radio ran an announcement similar to this. They also asked that people quit blocking their trucks to keep them from leaving. People in various neighborhoods would see a utility truck and several would take their cars and block them from leaving, lock the doors and walk home.
Bottom line: in spite of a rate increase to cover their repairs after Francis, they really didn't fix the infrastructure problem -- lots of rotted wooden poles now have to be replaced, as well as many concrete poles uprooted from the base.
If and when we ever get power back, we'll be keeping the generator handy!
You have hit upon the very nature of monopolies. There's no reason to be good to customers when there's no competition.
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