JUNO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- This year marks the third annual Florida Lineworker Appreciation Day. This annual day of recognition, Aug. 26, was established in 2011, by the Florida House of Representatives to honor lineworkers who are committed to delivering safe, reliable power. Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) pauses today to honor all of its electrical workers and let them know the work they do is appreciated every day, especially when severe weather strikes.
"During stormy and sunny days alike, FPL's electrical workforce represents the best of the best," said Manny Miranda, vice president of power delivery for FPL. "Often times, the men and women who ensure the lights stay on find themselves in some extraordinarily difficult conditions, yet they do so safely and with a customer commitment that is second to none. I also would be remiss if I didn't give a special thank you to our employees' family members, who without their support would make a challenging job even more challenging."
This year also marks the 10-year anniversary of the 2004 hurricane season when three hurricanes left paths of destruction across Florida. Many employees and contractors sacrifice family and personal time repairing equipment so other people's lives can get back to normal.
"It makes me feel good when a little kid runs up and thanks me for turning the lights on," said Matt Morrison, lineman apprentice for FPL. "The work is mentally and physically challenging, but it's also emotionally rewarding."
FPL has an industry-leading lineworker apprentice program. "We're always looking for new apprentices who will become the future of our company," said Nick Perrone, veteran line specialist and apprentice instructor. "Teaching in the apprentice program is one way I help ensure our employees know the correct way to work, with the right tools and best practices. But most importantly, I teach them how to safely get the job done."
FPL's electrical workers support the company's 35-county service area in Florida, which consists of more than 27,000 square miles and approximately half the state's population. They are responsible for maintaining FPL's approximately 75,000 miles of power lines around the clock, 365 days a year, helping deliver 99.98 percent service reliability for its customers.
"We're proud of our electrical workers," said Miranda. "We recognize their hard work and sacrifices, and we appreciate what they do every day to deliver safe, reliable power to our customers, families, friends, and neighbors."
Click http://newsroom.fpl.com/lineworkerappreciation to view FPL lineworkers in action.
Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving approximately 4.7 million customer accounts across nearly half of the state of Florida. As of year-end 2013, FPL's typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 25 percent lower than the national average and the lowest in Florida among reporting utilities. FPL's service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among utilities nationwide. The company was recognized in 2014 as the most trusted U.S. electric utility by Market Strategies International, and has earned the national ServiceOne Award for outstanding customer service for an unprecedented 10 consecutive years. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,900 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit www.FPL.com.
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SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company