Power to the people of Key Biscayne will come from more resilient, weather-tested underground lines, thanks to the unanimous 7-0 vote last week by the Village Council.
“This is a momentous occasion,” Councilman Fernando Vazquez said.
Mayor Joe Rasco only added to his legacy in the final year of his current second term.
“This is a great day to celebrate, to move forward on something we didn’t do in 2016, didn’t do in 2018,” he said. “I’m very proud of this Council for making a decision. Kudos to all up here. We will make a decision on stormwater before we leave,” he added, looking in the direction of Ed London, whose term limit also expires this year.
Village of Key Biscayne Councilmember Ed London updates members of the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne on the Village’s plan to install a new stormwater system on Friday, March 7, 2025.
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The decision to advance the Village-wide utility fortification program to underground electrical and telecommunication lines is more than just a decision for aesthetics, which likely will further enhance the Village’s look without tall power poles and cable lines stretching across, some even saying it will be more attractive for buyers and also a boon to sellers.
The obvious reason is to eliminate many of the recurring power outages that have darkened parts of the Village, especially over the past year, due to high winds and even problems at the two Florida Power & Light substations.
Serious discussions on undergrounding took place back in 2013, but FPL officials weren’t even sure it was possible to underground the entire 1.7 square miles of the Village, which is elevated just 3.4 feet above the mean sea level.
Late last year, there was even talk of a hybrid system, in which hardening of poles and cables could be part of the equation, but FPL officials didn’t have enough data to confirm if that system could be feasible on Key Biscayne.
Another possibility would have allowed FPL to choose its own timeline for the project, which could take decades.
“We didn’t talk about the costs,” Rasco said, alluding to the estimate of anywhere between $66 million and $81 million, but when all the players are in line (FPL, AT&T, Comcast and HotWire), “it will come back to us.”
The projects are to be primarily funded through the Village’s Resilient Infrastructure $100 million General Obligation Bond, which was passed in 2020 to offset the effects of climate change.
FPL would provide the cables in a full under-grounding project.
FPL power lines hung up on Galen Drive.
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“We would be responsible for the work, but they would become a partner so we can meet their standard,” Williamson said in a recent Islander News interview. “We do get a significant discount on materials and equipment, I’d say close to 50%, but they have their own (system to calculate those figures).
“We’d have to pay full labor and all that other stuff that goes with it.”
The recommended first area would be Zone 8, the Garden District. That area is a relatively smaller project, requiring final design, permitting, procurement and utility coordination needed to initiate construction.
Mike Houda with Black & Veatch, the engineering and consulting company managing the project, said, “We have a preliminary design from FPL in Zone 8. We’re getting their budget costs (and) from Comcast, AT&T and HotWire — they have one line. We review all those drawings, making sure it doesn’t have any conflicts with existing infrastructure … then the final design, then the permits, then getting our funding on line (with the GO Bond).”
He said the goal is to combine each trench opening to get the most efficient use, meaning to try and get all cable systems buried at once.
FPL does its own design, which is permitted through the state, Houda explained.
Vazquez did have some initial concerns.
“We are dealing with driveways, easements … are they going to look at (all of) Key Biscayne when they do this?” he asked.
Houda replied, “Yes, we are going to have an electrical engineer to look at their design and go from there.”
Williamson, at a previous meeting, said FPL “works very well with us.” The idea is to get Comcast and AT&T on board in similar fashion, he said, so that an actual dig could possibly start in late 2027 in Zone 8.
Village Manager Steve williamson updates members of the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne on the Village’s plan to install a new stormwater system on Friday, March 7, 2025.
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Zone 1 (around the K-8 Center), meanwhile, would be on hold for now until a decision on a stormwater plan is finalized, possibly before summer. But, it would likely become the second area of work in which a full, one-shot dig has a better chance of occurring side by side with a revitalized pumping system or new pipes, if that’s the choice.
There is “pretty much” a final design already in place there, Houda said, of Zone 1, the primary focus of flooding issues.
Rasco took exception with a news article last week about his recent State of the Village address.
“So, we only work on the little things I guess, right?” he said. “I guess being stuck with ‘little things’ like the Shoreline, a $200-$300-$400 million project, and Bear Cut … hey, those ‘little things’ (we work on) are quality of life things.
“Big things just don’t happen like (Councilman) London going just like this,” snapping his fingers, he said, jokingly.
Tuesday night’s decision was certainly a reason to celebrate for his Council.
“It’s about time,” Vazquez said. “Now we’re continuing to move forward.”