FPL's Power Tracker helps customers track on-line when power will be restored

Storm season is a good time to remind you about a new tool from Florida Power and Light. When it comes to power outages, this one is designed to give you mobile, battery powered access to information so you won't have to guess how long you will be left without power.

Start by going to the website, fplmaps.com . The service is called FPL's Power Tracker. Then type in your street address, city or zip code.

Jackie Anderson, an FPL Spokeswoman explains, "If there are outages, it shows a triangle and it shows a different color varying on the severity of that. "

It's perfect for people like Larry and Sharon Hess of Juno Beach. One quick look around their house and you know they take the threat of any storm seriously.

Larry Hess says, "When I was 1 year old, I survived the eye of the great hurricane in 1938 on Long Island. That hurricane killed around 700 people in the New England and Long Island area. Even though Hurricane Irene will miss our area, the Hesses are happy to learn that FPL is offering Power Tracker and all kinds of other information on-line to track power outages.

Power Tracker's benefit is that you can get info on how many people are affected, what caused the outage and when FPL estimates power will be restored.

Larry says, "Trying to get information previously sometimes could be a real chore."

The Hesses went on-line and found another FPL service on the computer that tracks improvements in customers' neighborhoods. Larry reads off the information it provided about his neighborhood. "It says it cleared vegetation from the neighborhood, powerlines and cleared vegetation from the main power lines."

Having the power to get information at their fingertips is handy. Sharon just wants to see it all in action in the thick of a bad storm.

Sharon says, "I'd like to see it in operation and pass judgment 6 months from now."