There are 6,100 homes in Pinecrest. I have been knocking on these doors since January. To be a solid councilwoman, it is important to understand the issues that concern our residents. One of the overriding concerns residents have expressed is power loss from trees falling on power lines – ‘tis the season, after all. Due to our lush canopy, power is often interrupted with the slightest increase in windspeed. Underground power lines reduce the risk of interruption.

I currently serve on the Pinecrest Zoning Board. Additionally, over the past year, I have sat in on almost every council meeting and planning session in order to more fully understand Village government operations.

As part of the “Secure Underground Program,” FPL is currently undergrounding 20.1 miles worth of power lines in Pinecrest. This is a pilot program. FPL and the Florida Public Service Commission are funding it. The program’s aim is to underground power lines segments to increase service reliability and power restoration following a storm.

How is FPL choosing which lines to underground? FPL reports that the criteria for selecting undergrounding projects are:

• Powerline performance during Hurricane Irma and Matthew

• Outages on power lines due to vegetation issues and

• Performance of power lines during day to day operations.

In addition, the Village of Pinecrest strategically entered into an agreement with FPL following Irma. The Village granted FPL permission to stage crews on our field at the Pinecrest Community Center following any large-scale storm. After Irma, it took time for FPL crews to work their way to Pinecrest. Granting FPL staging access gives FPL the opportunity to respond quickly. Our tree canopy can wreak havoc on power lines. Rapid response is key. Our village moved the ball forward with this agreement.

If elected to serve as your councilwoman, I am committed to finding cost-effective, environmentally sound, and safe solutions to power outages. We all understand that underground power lines cost money. And this pilot program will serve a critical purpose as we move forward.  We should understand to what extent, if any, undergrounding costs will be shifted to residents. Will the program affect our utility rates?  Will underground power lines be vulnerable to storm surge? Are underground power lines safer and do they reduce the likelihood of electrocution following a storm? For me, the goal is to find the best solution for Pinecrest.

FPL will be presenting its Secure Underground Program to Pinecrest via ZOOM on August 27, 2020 @ 6:00 p.m. The Village will be publishing information on how to view this presentation on social media.  I will certainly zoom in.  I hope you do as well.  And I hope to earn your vote. 

Yours in service, 
Shannon