Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) will continue building a stronger, smarter and more storm-resilient electric grid in Okeechobee County in 2026, advancing its ongoing commitment to reduce outages and restore power faster following major storms[1].

What are the Upgrades FPL is Making in Okeechobee County in 2026?

This year, FPL plans to complete the following local infrastructure improvements in Okeechobee County:

• 426 miles of power lines will undergo tree and vegetation trimming, addressing one of the leading causes of power outages.  

How is FPL Improving Reliability Across Florida?

While no electric system can be made completely resistant to the impacts of hurricanes and other extreme weather events, across Florida, FPL continuously pioneers new technology and enhances the energy grid to reduce outage times and improve overall reliability for customers during both good weather and bad, including:

• More than 1.6 million customer interruptions avoided in 2025 due to self-healing smart grid technology.
• 246,000 intelligent devices installed across the FPL grid to detect potential issues.
• Nearly 2,000 miles of overhead neighborhood power lines are now underground.
• 85% of FPL’s main power lines have been hardened or placed underground to improve resilience against extreme weather.
• 97% of transmission structures are now steel or concrete, strengthening the system by replacing older wooden structures.

How Reliable is FPL?

FPL highlights the work behind one of the nation’s strongest, smartest and most storm-resilient electric grids in its annual report to the Florida Public Service Commission. With service reliability that’s approximately 67% better than the national average, FPL’s transmission and distribution system delivers top performance and dependable electricity customers can count on. Those results earned FPL national recognition. PA Consulting named FPL the 2025 ReliabilityOne® National Reliability Award winner for delivering outstanding service reliability to more than 6 million customer accounts across Florida. PA Consulting also awarded FPL its national Reliability Value Award for keeping customer bills as low as possible while investing strategically in the electric grid to meet current and future energy needs.

A word from Ilan Kaufer, local external affairs manager for FPL:

“Our employees work every day in Okeechobee County to provide safe, reliable electric service while keeping customer bills as low as possible. By continuing to invest in our electric grid, we are strengthening resilience year-round and helping our communities recover faster when severe weather impacts our area.”