Florida’s top power companies tell consumers that everything is in place to avoid grid breakdowns from the heat the state sees
Florida Power & Light (FPL), JEA, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Company (TECO) said they have strengthened their infrastructure by strengthening their underground power generation lines and power poles with more concrete and steel.
FPL says it has introduced smart grid technology and devices to monitor the health of the energy grid to detect and prevent problems and recover power faster in the event of outages.
The company says it does not expect a blackout due to increased demand due to heat.
In North Florida, the Jacksonville Electrical Agency (JEA) is seeing record demand for electricity from customers due to heat waves.
The company reports that it broke record sets in August 2007 for its summer power use from customers.
There is only one problem, and the summer heat can extend into September.
Weather channels predict that there may be some degree of mitigation as more rain and potential hurricanes could reduce the need for more electricity.
The state’s power grid appears to hold itself out of the heat, but the next corner issue that Florida utilities deal with is the hurricane threat.
The utility has acknowledged that it could put a strain on current heat-handling power grids, and could put more strain on the power source as a storm inside it could flow.
If your customer’s invoice is too high, check with your local utility as it may help you.
FPL has announced that it will suspend unpaid disconnects in many Florida cities to help residents deal with the fever.
