FPL details local efforts to improve storm resiliency, overall reliability

These investments include moving more power lines underground, strengthening overhead lines and installing more intelligent devices along the energy grid.

By Observer Staff
| 9:00 a.m. May 27, 2023

FPL crews harden power poles in Central Florida to improve resiliency during hurricanes and severe weather and also enhance reliability during day-to-day conditions. Courtesy photo

Ormond Beach Observer
Business

FPL is planning upgrades in Ormond Beach to improve resiliency in the face of severe weather, according to a news release.

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 occur.

FPL plans to make the following improvements in and around Ormond Beach:

Maintaining trees and vegetation along 175 miles of power lines.
Inspecting 1,091 power poles in Ormond Beach as part of an eight-year inspection cycle, strengthening or replacing those that no longer meet FPL’s standards.
Installing smart grid technology, including 19 switches on main and neighborhood power lines to help detect problems and restore service faster.
Inspecting 33 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 Ormond Beach since the 2004-2005 hurricane seasons:

Strengthened 33 main power lines.
Inspected and maintained vegetation near 2,177 miles of power lines — an average of 128 miles per year.
Inspected all 13,889 power poles every eight years.
Installed smart grid technology, including 1,424 automated switches on main and neighborhood power lines.
Inspected 79 main power lines and equipment using infrared technology.