Utilities brace, staff up ahead of Milton to prepare post-storm response

Image via AP.

The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) is monitoring Hurricane Milton ahead of landfall to weigh the “anticipated impacts to Florida’s public power communities” and ready a response to get power restored.

“According to the current forecast track, Hurricane Milton will track along some of the most populated public power communities,” said FMEA Executive Director Amy Zubaly.

The storm — now a Category 5 but currently forecasted to land Wednesday evening as a Category 3 — will affect 25 of the FMEA’s 33 municipal member utilities, per the organization. Those utilities cover more than 1.3 million customers.

“Our mutual aid network, comprised of utilities in Florida and across the United States, is mobilizing to support affected areas. Personnel and assets are set to arrive and pre-stage near impacted areas by tomorrow evening,” Zubaly said.

“We have already secured commitments from more than 50 utilities in 16 states, with more commitments growing our restoration workforce rapidly. Public power utilities from states near and far, including Florida, Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin, are again gearing up for mutual aid assistance calls to restore power to communities in need.”

As Gov. Ron DeSantis discussed earlier Monday, power restoration post-Milton will face extra hurdles. The storm is landing less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene not only battered Florida, but moved up through the South causing significant destruction, particularly in North Carolina.

Florida typically calls in utility workers from other states for backup during storms, and offers their own workers to help elsewhere when needed. But with significant attention still focused on post-Helene recovery in the South, it may be difficult to divert as many workers down to Florida to respond to Milton.

“Florida utilities are working diligently to bring in as many power resources as possible to support efforts following Milton. However, thousands of utility restoration personnel remain in areas of the Southeast still recovering from Hurricane Helene, which could impact or limit resources typically available to support Florida utilities,” Zubaly explained.

While that reality could complicate the post-storm response, the FMEA is looking to maximize resources that are available to bring Floridians back online as soon as it is safe to do so.

“While public power utilities work year-round to harden their utility infrastructure against storms and emergencies, the forecasted damages caused by Milton could be extensive,” Zubaly said.

“We urge all customers to follow guidance from their local emergency management officials and prepare for possible extended power outages. Restoration crews — damage assessors, line technicians and vegetation management personnel —will commence safe and efficient power restoration efforts as soon as conditions allow.”