Page 10 - Boca Exposure - April '21

Page 10, Boca Exposure
FPL Strengthens Energy Grid Serving Boca Raton

As Part Of 2021 Reliability And Storm

Preparedness Efforts

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) customers existing hardening programs and have benefited to replace overhead power lines with more reliable
in Boca Raton continue to benefit from the company’s customers by successfully reducing restoration costs and underground lines in select neighborhoods to enhance
ongoing work to strengthen the energy grid and improve outage times during major storms, as well as improving reliability in good weather and bad. In Hurricane Irma,
service reliability. FPL investments, which include day-to-day service reliability. neighborhood underground power lines performed 85
strengthening power lines and poles, trimming trees “FPL’s efforts to build the nation’s most intelligent percent better than overhead power lines; nearly 50
near power lines, installing smart grid technology, and and reliable energy grid have resulted in a more than 40 percent of FPL’s 68,000 miles of distribution power lines
undergrounding power lines in select areas, help make percent improvement in service reliability since 2006 are already underground.
the grid more reliable day-to-day and speed restoration for our customers,” said Manny Miranda, senior vice FPL was named the winner of the 2020 ReliabilityOne™
following major storms. president of power delivery for FPL. “As our service National Reliability Excellence Award presented by PA
“For more than 15 years, FPL has been improving reliability has improved, we continue our efforts to Consulting. This is the fifth time in six years that the
the energy grid, making it stronger, smarter and more embrace emerging technology to find innovative ways company has received the national award for providing
storm-resilient to keep the lights on for customers in good to deliver reliable and affordable energy.” superior service reliability to the more than 11 million
weather and bad,” said Eric Silagy, president and CEO Strengthening The FPL Grid Throughout Florida people across Florida that it serves. FPL is one out of two
of FPL. “Last year, there was a historic level of tropical Since 2006, FPL has invested over $5 billion, as well electric companies that has received this national award
activity with 30 named storms, and as a result of our as ongoing maintenance and improvement work, to make five times.
ongoing investments in smart grid technology, we were the energy grid stronger and smarter. This includes: Florida Power & Light Company
able to speed restoration during these storms and avoid • Strengthening nearly all of its main power lines Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is the largest
more than 150,000 outages. In addition, we continue serving critical community facilities and services, such as energy company in the United States as measured by
to find cost-effective ways to replace overhead power police and fire stations, hospitals and 911 centers; more retail electricity produced and sold. The company serves
lines with underground lines to reduce outages caused than 60 percent of all feeders, or main power lines, are more than 5.6 million customer accounts supporting
by animals, birds, trees and other vegetation.” hardened or underground more than 11 million residents across Florida with clean,
In 2018, FPL began a pilot program known as the • Installing more than 5 million smart meters and more reliable and affordable electricity. FPL operates one
Storm Secure Underground Program (SSUP) after than 155,000 intelligent devices along the energy grid of the cleanest power generation fleets in the United
®
Hurricane Irma, which was implemented to cost- using advanced technology that helps detect problems States and in 2020 won the ReliabilityOne National
effectively move overhead power lines underground in and restore service faster if outages occur Reliability Excellence Award, presented by PA Consulting,
targeted communities. In neighborhoods in Boca Raton • Proactively reviewing about 15,000 miles of power for the fifth time in the last six years. The company was
that have experienced a history of vegetation-related lines each year and trimming and removing vegetation recognized in 2020 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric
interruptions, the program’s goal is to enhance customers’ where necessary to keep lines clear and help prevent utilities by Escalent for the seventh consecutive year. FPL
service reliability and the energy grid’s resiliency. As of outages is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra
Dec. 31, 2020, more than 240 SSUP projects have been • Beginning the second eight-year inspection cycle Energy Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely
completed throughout the company’s service area. of the company’s 1.2 million power poles and upgrading recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and
2021 Improvements In The Boca Raton Area or replacing those that no longer meet FPL’s standards diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and
FPL plans to make the following improvements in and for strength (approximately 150,000 poles inspected gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2020 list of “World’s
near Boca Raton this year: annually) Most Admired Companies.” NextEra Energy is also the
• Three Storm Secure Underground Program (SSUP) • Continuing the replacement of wooden transmission parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC,
projects planned structures with new ones made of steel or concrete; which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s
• Strengthening one main power line 98 percent of transmission structures are now steel or largest generator of renewable energy from the wind
• Inspecting and clearing tree branches and vegetation concrete, and by 2022, 100 percent is expected to be steel and sun and a world leader in battery storage. For more
— a major cause of power outages — from 50 miles of or concrete information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these
power lines • Beginning the Storm Secure Underground Program, websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.
• As of this year, will have inspected 100 percent a three-year pilot to determine cost-effective ways GulfPower.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
of power poles in Boca Raton over the past eight-year
inspection cycle, strengthening or replacing those that no
longer meet FPL’s standards.
• Installing smart grid technology, including 13
automated switches on main and neighborhood power
lines to help detect problems and restore service faster
when outages occur April 22nd
• Inspecting three main power lines and equipment
using infrared technology to detect issues before they
cause a power interruption.
When the planned 2021 work is completed, FPL will
have made the following improvements in and near Boca
Raton since the historic 2004/05 hurricane seasons:
• Strengthened 39 main power lines, including
those that serve critical services that are necessary for
communities to recover faster after major storms
• Reviewed 1,762 miles of power lines, clearing an Upscale Resale
average of 117 miles of tree branches and vegetation per
year
• Inspected all 9,307 power poles every eight years Experience The Difference
• Installed smart grid technology, including 963
automated switches on main and neighborhood power New and consigned furniture, unique lighting, accessories and gifts.
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• Inspected 128 main power lines and equipment using
infrared technology
As part of the Storm Protection Plan approved by
the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC), FPL
estimates that between 300 and 500 neighborhood power
lines will be placed underground annually from 2021
to 2022. Over the next 10 years, FPL plans to continue
investing about $1 billion annually on storm hardening.
These programs are a continuation of the company’s

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