FPL sent it's first automated messages out to customers at 11:22 p.m. saying the power should be back on by midnight due to an equipment malfunction. Then, at 11:57 p.m. the time for restoration was moved to 4:45 a.m. Friday morning and confirmed by another message at 4:17 a.m. Friday morning.
But, no such luck as power was not restored and FPL trucks could be seen running up and down Birchwood Parkway and Springview Circle all morning and afternoon troubleshooting.
At 2:07 p.m. Friday afternoon a new message said power should be on at 3 p.m. That final message turned out to be true and power was back on after 16 hours without electric in the neighborhood.
It was determined a line had burned between two transformers, but tests on fuses failed to show a burned fuse due to a faulty indicator, and thus delayed the trouble shooting for hours as they traced down the faulty power cable.
Port LaBelle Utility System was on standby with a large mobile generator unit at the sewage lift station a few yards from the FPL transformers. PLUS needs power to read it's gauges as well as to pump sewage from the neighborhood homes to the treatment plant. The electric was restored to the lift station at the 16 hour mark and they didn't need to hook up the generator.
Photo: FPL "Smart Meter" as electric finally restored to neighborhood after 18 hour wait.
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