Strengthening the Energy Grid in Fort Lauderdale: FPL Details Local Efforts to Improve Storm Resiliency, Overall Service Reliability

 Submitted by Brandon Grant

*FPL plans to place 750 overheard powerlines underground across Florida in 2023 as it expands its Storm Secure Underground Program (SSUP)

*FPL invests in storm hardening year-round, with assessments following Hurricanes Ian and Nicole confirming the grid is more storm-resilient than ever

*FPL customers benefit from award-winning reliable service, with a 41% improvement since 2006, including fewer outages and momentary interruptions

Crews install a concrete power pole in Broward County to improve resiliency during hurricanes and severe weather and also enhance reliability during day-to-day conditions.

JUNO BEACH, FL. — In 2023, FPL plans to make a number of upgrades in Fort Lauderdale as part of its ongoing effort to improve resiliency in the face of severe weather. These investments include moving more power lines underground, strengthening overhead lines and installing more intelligent devices along the energy grid to help detect potential problems and restore power faster when outages do occur. The investments have the added benefit of improving day-to-day reliability for customers as well.

     2023 improvements in the Fort Lauderdale area

FPL plans to make the following improvements in and near Fort Lauderdale this year:

• *44 Storm Secure Under-ground Program (SSUP) projects planned. The program started in 2018 to replace more overhead neighborhood power lines with underground service.
• *Strengthening 20 main power lines, including those that serve critical services that are necessary for communities to recover faster after major storms.
• *Maintaining trees and vegetation – a common cause of power outages, particularly during hurricanes and severe weather — along 365 miles of power lines.
• *Inspecting 4,869 power poles in Fort Lauderdale as part of an eight-year inspection cycle, strengthening or replacing those that no longer meet FPL’s industry-leading standards.

*Installing smart grid technology, including 162 automated switches on main and neighborhood power lines to help detect problems and restore service faster when outages occur.

*Inspecting 136 main power lines and equipment using infrared technology to detect issues before they cause a power interruption.

When the planned 2023 work is completed, FPL will have made the following improvements in and near Fort Lauderdale since the historic 2004-2005 hurricane seasons:

*Strengthened 86 main power lines, including those that serve critical services.

• *Inspected and maintained vegetation near 3,911 miles of power lines — an average of 230 per year.
• *Inspected all 26,804 power poles every eight years.
• * Installed smart grid technology, including 3,234 automated switches on main and neighborhood power lines.
• *Inspected 238 main power lines and equipment using infrared technology.

“No energy grid is hurricane-proof, and storms will continue to cause power outages, but detailed assessments following 2022’s Hurricanes Ian and Nicole showed FPL’s investments to storm-harden its energy grid continue to benefit customers, speeding restoration,” said Manny Miranda, executive vice president of Power Delivery for FPL.

Strengthening power poles, managing trees and vegetation near power lines, installing smart grid technology to fix problems before they affect customers and using robots and drones to regularly inspect equipment have all helped FPL improve its service reliability by 41% since 2006. These upgrades have helped reduce both the number and duration of outages, as well as the number of momentary interruptions or power flickers.

SSUP is a concerted effort to place more neighborhood power lines underground. It is designed to help speed restoration efforts, reduce restoration costs, and reduce customer outages. FPL completed more than 1,200 SSUP projects since SSUP started and will expand the program in 2023, with about 750 projects planned across the state.

“We are committed to investing in innovative solutions and technology,” said Tim Bryant, local director of external affairs for FPL. “We work year-round so our customers across Florida can resume their normal lives safely and as quickly as possible after storms.”

In 2022, for the seventh time in eight years, FPL was awarded the ReliabilityOne® National Reliability Award. Presented by PA Consulting, the award is widely regarded in the energy industry as one of the most prestigious honors and reinforces FPL’s commitment to provide customers with the nation’s most reliable service.