FPL crews replace overhead neighborhood power lines with underground lines in a Treasure Coast neighborhood. Underground power lines help provide customers with reliable service year-round and during extreme weather.
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) will continue building a stronger, smarter and more storm-resilient electric grid in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin Counties 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 Indian River County in 2026?
This year, FPL plans to complete the following local infrastructure improvements in Indian River County:
46 Storm Secure Underground Program (SSUP) projects, replacing overhead neighborhood power lines with more resilient underground lines.
Three intelligent devices will be installed on main, neighborhood and underground power lines. These automated smart switches help identify outages and reroute power to prevent more widespread interruptions. 411 miles of power lines will undergo tree and vegetation trimming, addressing one of the leading causes of power outages. 16,642 power poles will be inspected, strengthening or replacing those that no longer meet FPL’s industry-leading standards.
What are the Upgrades FPL is Making in St. Lucie County in 2026?
This year, FPL plans to complete the following local infrastructure improvements in St. Lucie County:
Three intelligent devices will be installed on main, neighborhood and underground power lines. These automated smart switches help identify outages and reroute power to prevent more widespread interruptions.
728 miles of power lines will undergo tree and vegetation trimming, addressing one of the leading causes of power outages. 7,722 power poles will be inspected, strengthening or replacing those that no longer meet FPL’s industry-leading standards.
What are the Upgrades FPL is Making in Martin County in 2026?
This year, FPL plans to complete the following local infrastructure improvements in Martin County:
72 Storm Secure Underground Program (SSUP) projects, replacing overhead neighborhood power lines with more resilient underground lines.
443 miles of power lines will undergo tree and vegetation trimming, addressing one of the leading causes of power outages. 8,508 power poles will be inspected, strengthening or replacing those that no longer meet FPL’s industry-leading standards.
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 Don Kiselewski, Executive Director of External Affairs, Central Region for FPL:
“Our employees work every day in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin Counties 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.”
How to reach FPL:
Florida Power & Light Company
[1] These upgrades represent planned projects as of April 1, 2026. All projects are reevaluated on an annual basis and subject to change or modification consistent with the prioritization and selection criteria required by FPL’s Storm Protection Plan approved by the Florida Public Service Commission. Additionally, the schedule for planned projects may change due to unforeseen circumstances, such as severe weather and hurricanes, and time required for any local permits and approvals.