As FPL Continues Pre-Storm Preparations on the Electric System Customers Are Urged to Get Ready For Hurricane Wilma.

JUNO BEACH, Fla. -- While Hurricane Wilma batters the Yucatan peninsula, Florida Power & Light Company continues to urge customers to use this time to get ready for what forecasters say could be a South Florida landfall early next week.

FPL is continuing its own preparations as it braces for Hurricane Wilma's probable strike somewhere on the Florida peninsula. As National Hurricane Center forecasters work to plot Wilma's course, FPL is placing people and resources into position to be able to respond to whatever damage to the electrical infrastructure might happen as a result of the fourth hurricane to impact the company's customers this season.

"Wherever Hurricane Wilma strikes in our service territory, we're going to work hard to make sure that the inconvenience to our customers is as short-lived as possible," said Geisha Williams, vice president of electrical distribution for FPL. "While we watch and wait for forecasters to determine where Wilma will be in the next 24 hours, we urge our customers to prepare. We understand how frustrating and time consuming the waiting can be but this is the best time to make plans that will keep your family safe."

Some tips to consider before and after the storm:

FPL urges customers to take steps now to be safe and protect their families before, during and after the storm. Learn all you can about getting prepared for a storm, what to do during a storm and about being prepared to manage safely after a storm when utilities and normal community services may be temporarily interrupted.

Stay far away from downed power lines, flooding and debris. Don't walk in standing water and don't venture out in the dark because you might not see a power line that could still be energized and dangerous.

If you plan to use a portable generator, run it outside and connect appliances directly using extension cords if necessary. Do not wire your generator directly to your breaker or fuse box, because the electricity you generate may flow back into power lines and cause injuries.

The FPL emergency plan is as follows:

--72 hours before storm landfall - FPL activates its command center and the storm organization gets alerted. The logistic team initiates its plans by increasing inventory levels, and alerting vendors and suppliers. At this point, staging sites are pre-identified, state and county emergency centers are contacted as well as the external utilities/contractors.

--48 hours before storm landfall - FPL's computer models predict system damage, an initial restoration plan is developed and resource requirements are forecasted. Commitments from restoration personnel, material and logistic providers are sought to support the restoration effort. Also, employees continue to prepare their families and homes and travel teams are identified.

--24 hours before storm landfall - A pre-check of equipment, facilities and systems is conducted. External personnel are pre-staged out of harm's way, mobile inventory and rapid trailers are readied and messages delivered by FPL's spokespeople are given to the media.

"Virtually every FPL employee is mobilized to assist in storm restoration in some way. Additionally, we have already called other utilities and contractors to assist, so that between FPL employees, contractors and out of state crews we muster a restoration force that will carry out any repairs needed after Wilma," Williams said.

Earlier this week, FPL began contacting utilities in other parts of the country to have both line and vegetation management crews deployed in Florida ready to begin work following Hurricane Wilma. While the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in the Gulf states has made it more difficult to acquire crews, the delay in Hurricane Wilma's arrival has provided time for a number of out of state crews to arrive ready to respond once the hurricane makes landfall.

"We want our customers to know that we are ready to deploy the necessary resources to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. But in the meantime, as we wait for Wilma, we urge our customers to make their safety and the safety of their families their highest priority," said Williams.

Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE:FPL), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and services. With annual revenues of more than $10 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies. Florida Power & Light Company serves 4.3 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group's wholesale electricity generating subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at http://www.FPL.com, http://www.FPLGroup.com and http://www.FPLEnergy.com.

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