Miami-based Florida Power & Light Co. says Hurricane Frances was most costly
The Palm Beach Post, Fla. --Dec. 27
Jeanne may have been stronger, Charley may have been more surprising, but it was stubborn, slow-moving Frances that cost the most.
A big chunk of that went to personnel: FPL paid out $48 million to its own
employees and $151.4 million to outside contract workers who worked for nearly
two weeks to turn all the lights back on.
FPL benefited from having extra poles, transformers and other supplies on
hand three weeks later when it came to restoring power after Hurricane Jeanne
hit the state. Jeanne's final tab was $233.7 million. But materials costs were
the lowest of the three storms, at $11 million -- about half what it cost FPL
for Charley and two-thirds of what it cost for Frances.
Charley, a Category 4 storm that forced FPL to rebuild much of its electrical
system on Florida's west coast, ended up costing the utility the least of the
three storms, at $209 million.
Payroll for contract and other utility workers was the lowest for this storm.
All told, the three hurricanes cost FPL about $710 million.
The utility is asking the PSC if FPL can collect a total of $354 million from
its customers to help pay the tab.
PSC staffers last week recommended that FPL be allowed to collect the storm
surcharge beginning next month. The PSC will consider the issue Jan. 4.
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