We’re only a couple of months away from the beginning of hurricane season, and attention is on preventing power outages. Hurricane Wilma in 2005 knocked out service for more than 3 million customers.
Since then, newer Florida Power and Light workers have yet to experience the effects of an actual hurricane. What they do have experience in is FPL’srecent high-tech approaches.
“The younger people are really really adept to technology which is really where we’ve pushed our company and they’re just, they adapt to it very quickly. In fact, they show stuff to us more seasoned people that really makes a good blend of a team,” said FPL Incident Commander Ralph Grant.
That blend of old and new is put to the test every year whenFPLholds storm drills at their offices and at staging sites. There are 90 of these sites throughout the state thatFPLcan transform into bases in the event of a storm.
FPLalso says it is trying to prevent storm damage in the first place.
“This is not about restoring power. This is really about our efforts to try to prevent outages from occurring,” said Manny Miranda, the vice president of power delivery.
FPL stresses it is strengthening wooden utility poles or replacing them with concrete ones throughout the region.
Copyright 2020 WLRN 91.3 FM. To see more, visit WLRN 91.3 FM. 9(MDAyMTYyMTU5MDEyOTc4NzE4ODNmYWEwYQ004))
