Duke Energy, FPL, Tampa Electric, fellow assistors prep for monstrous Milton, prolonged outages

As massive Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida’s central west coast where it’s expected to make landfall late tonight, Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric, and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) are alerting customers that there will be extended outages as restoration efforts continue post-Helene, which slammed into the state Sept. 26 before surging into several other Southeastern states.

“While our crews are ready to begin the power restoration process as soon as it’s safe, we want to manage our customers’ expectations and ensure they are planning for extended outages,” Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director, said Wednesday.

Destructive, potentially catastrophic storm surge, very heavy rainfall, and a few tornadoes along the state’s western coast will begin this afternoon and evening as Hurricane Milton heads for Florida, according to the National Weather Service on Wednesday. Milton is forecast to make landfall as a major hurricane and is expected to maintain its hurricane strength before exiting the state’s east coast.

“Milton’s intensity is expected to be unlike anything the Tampa Bay area has ever experienced, and we’re getting an army of resources in place to respond as soon as it’s safe,” Duke Energy Florida posted this morning on X.

The company is readying 16,000 resources to respond to over 1 million power outages across its service territory as soon as weather and other conditions allow. These crews are convening at several staging sites that are positioned along the outside of Hurricane Milton’s projected path, but as close to the impacted areas as possible, the utility said.

“Duke Energy Florida asks that our customers prepare now — before it’s too late — for exceptionally high storm surge, strong winds, and heavy rainfall that will cause extensive damage, not only to their homes and businesses, but to our equipment and infrastructure as well,” Fountain said.

As FPL finalizes its preparations, the company also urges customers across the state to be ready for potential prolonged outages, and said it has strategically pre-positioned a restoration workforce of some 14,500 men and women, equipment and supplies, including mutual assistance from 37 states across the United States.

“Hurricane Milton is going to bring heavy rains, damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge and flooding,” said FPL President and CEO Armando Pimentel. “Customers need to be prepared. This storm will bring extended outages. That said, I want to assure our customers we are prepared and will be working around-the-clock to restore power.”

In total, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), which represents the nation’s investor-owned electric companies, said Wednesday that more than 43,000 workers from at least 40 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada already are dedicated to the Hurricane Milton response.

For instance, Entergy posted this morning that more than 1,000 employees and contractors who have been engaged in Hurricane Helene restoration efforts are being deployed to support peer utilities ahead of Hurricane Milton.

“To our colleagues at @DukeEnergy, @insideFPL, & @TampaElectric — we’re on our way!” posted Entergy at 11 a.m. EDT.

Tampa Electric responded with its own post saying the company “would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to @Entergy for their invaluable assistance with Hurricane Milton. Your support will help safely restore power and bring relief to our community during a challenging time.”

Tampa Electric posted on its website that it has “mobilized more than 5,000 utility workers and growing” to assist with electric restoration after Milton. “We will provide estimated time to restore service once damage assessments are complete,” the company said.

EEI reported that around-the-clock rebuild and recovery efforts also continue in the areas of Georgia and the Carolinas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene. As of 10 a.m. EDT, EEI said that power has been restored to approximately 5.84 million — or 97.36 percent — of those customers.

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