FPL in Brevard: ‘We expect to complete power restoration to essentially all customers following Hurricane Matthew by end of day Sunday.’
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(Photo: FPL)

Update, 5 p.m., Oct. 9

22,680 are still without power, while 203,730 have had power restored.

Update, 1 p.m., Oct. 9

36,570 customers remain without power in Brevard County, according to FPL. Power has been restored to 191,840 customers.

Update, 8 a.m., Oct. 9

FPL reports that 43,710 customers remain without power, while 186,360 have had power restored.

Update, 9 p.m., Oct. 8:

Only 78,660 customers remain without power, according to Florida Power & Light Co., while 159,010 have had power restored.

Update, 3 p.m., Oct. 8:

FPL reports that it has restored power to more than half of the customers affected by outages: 107,380 customers remain without power, while 130,290 had power

What is needed is an independent study to examine how to strengthen and harden our electric grid so that we we don’t have this happen again. The PSC inspects private power companies, why not let them inspect our city utility to help with this evaluation. We know we need to bury many major transmission lines, and we know we need to trim some trees and cut some trees. We should look at burying under the median, and under the asphalt. Let’s get an estimate for doing these things. Also, why not consider raising the power lines above the tree canopy for certain segments of the distribution network?

Another important step would be to begin a power pole replacement program for transmission lines we decide to keep above ground. Look at the poles on all major corridors. They are made of wood. Wood will snap in a Cat 3 storm. Lets start converting all poles that we decide to keep to metal or concrete.

Hurricane Kate hit 30 yrs ago as a Cat 2 and knocked down thousands of trees and many people were without power for 10 days to 2 weeks. That is unthinkable today except in a Cat 4 or 5.

Let’s learn from this storm. We have had 30 yrs since Kate, but the reality is, we could be hit in a couple of weeks with another hurricane, maybe even a stronger one. Or it could be another 30 yrs. Problem is, we can’t bet on the latter.

So let’s develop a plan to strengthen our electric distribution network so that we are able to withstand a blow from a Cat 1 with only a 10 % outage, and a 25 percent outage for a Cat 2, and 50 percent outage for a Cat 3. and 75 % outage for a Cat 4. And with a Cat 5, well, we hope that at least police, fire, and hospitals still have power.

We also need to enlist neighborhood associations; do tabletop exercises. Identify who has chainsaws. Identify key people to serve as liaisons. Plan for alternative means of communication. We need to learn from this storm and prepare for the future. As the website says: Get a Plan.

Quality newspapers fact check submitted pieces for accuracy and context. This is not an opinion piece, it is a marketing piece put together by an advocacy group. What is lame is the Democrat would publish without comment.

That’s an op-ed piece, written by somebody else? That’s what you meant by “cited”? The democrat is supposed to rebut every opinion it publishes? Lame.

The link has been added to TR’s story.

Still waiting on a story link. They did write one right?

It’s listed as the last public meeting.