FPL prepares for first cold temperatures of the new year

Company is prepared to meet additional power demand and encourages customers to stay safe

News provided by

Jan 06, 2014, 03:58 ET

JUNO BEACH, Fla., Jan. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) today announced that it is monitoring the approach of a cold front that is expected to begin impacting the state later today and is well-positioned to meet the increased electricity needs of its customers throughout its 35-county service area.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120301/FL62738LOGO)

"We have been tracking the approaching cold front for several days and are prepared for what we anticipate will be increased electricity demand later this evening and throughout the next few days," said Manny Miranda, FPL's vice president of Power Delivery. "As part of our preparations, we have adjusted work schedules to ensure we have additional employees and contractors available should they be needed to respond to any power-related issues due to the cold weather."

The coldest weather is forecast for early tomorrow morning and Wednesday, Jan. 8.

FPL carefully monitors its power supply every day and how it may be affected by severe weather conditions, and annually trains its employees to respond to these situations. The company has already activated its cold-weather plan, including adjusting equipment settings at its nearly 600 substations to handle the increased demand for electric service.

Safety a priority for customers
FPL encourages its customers to stay safe when heating their homes or businesses, especially when using space heaters:

Use space heaters for only limited amounts of time and not as a primary heat source.
Direct the heater to warm people, not space.
Keep flammable materials such as bedding, clothing, draperies, rugs and furniture at least 3 feet away from the heater.
Keep children and pets away from the heater.
Keep space heaters away from water to avoid electric shock.
Turn off and unplug the heater when leaving the room for an extended period of time.
Avoid using extension cords.

The company also encourages customers to use their energy wisely to keep their bills as low as possible. To lower energy usage and save money in colder weather, heat your home at 68 degrees or cooler with the thermostat fan switch on "auto." Lower your thermostat to 65 degrees or cooler at bedtime or when you are away from home.

Customers can visit www.FPL.com/safety for additional safety tips. Should customers experience a power interruption, the easiest way to report it to the company is on a mobile device at www.FPL.com. The progress of their restoration can also be tracked at www.FPL.com using FPL's Power Tracker map. As a safety reminder, if customers see a downed power line they should call 9-1-1 or FPL at 1-800-4 OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243).

Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest rate-regulated electric utility in Florida and serves the third-largest number of customers of any electric utility in the United States. FPL serves approximately 4.6 million customer accounts and is a leading Florida employer with approximately 10,000 employees as of year-end 2012. During the five-year period ended December 31, 2011, the company delivered the best service reliability among Florida investor-owned utilities, while its typical residential customer bills, based on data available in July 2012, are about 26 percent below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit www.FPL.com.