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Residents' concerns about FPL outages spur commission debate; city holds proposed PSC resolution while utility responds
Summary
Residents reported multiple power surges and construction-related disruptions. The commission has a draft resolution to refer the issues to the state Public Service Commission but has withheld transmission while FPL describes steps it is taking.
Several Cooper City residents and commissioners raised concerns about power surges and prolonged construction impacts tied to Florida Power & Light's undergrounding and trenching work in the city. Commissioners debated whether to forward a formal complaint and resolution to the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) or to hold the item while FPL addresses concerns.
What occurred - Residents reported appliance damage and persistent construction impacts (open conduit, exposed tubing) in neighborhoods where FPL crews were undergrounding lines. - The commission had a drafted resolution prepared for submission to the PSC, but city staff said FPL had taken steps to address complaints after the meeting and the city has not yet transmitted the resolution. - FPL representatives described investigative steps: when surges are not obvious from a transformer or line failure, engineers may need to instrument equipment and monitor to isolate intermittent impulses. FPL's local staff said crews were investigating and that claims submitted to FPL's claims department were pending.
Commission reaction Commissioners pushed FPL to be more proactive in communicating timing to neighborhoods and to secure exposed conduit and materials that had been left in yards or swales for extended periods. Some commissioners said the company's sponsorship and community presence do not excuse failures to make affected homeowners whole when damage is caused by utility work.
Next steps The city temporarily held the PSC referral while monitoring FPL's remediation and communication steps. Staff said they will continue to collect claim submissions and will transmit the drafted resolution if the company's response proves insufficient.
Why it matters Commissioners said the issues affect residents' property and everyday life; they asked for better contractor oversight, clearer timelines for work and immediate action to secure exposed equipment that could pose hazards.
