The Storm Secure Underground Program (SSUP) is one of the many ways we are making our electric grid stronger and more storm-resilient for our customers. By replacing overhead neighborhood power lines with underground lines, we’re working to avoid a leading cause of power outages during hurricanes and severe weather – trees and vegetation coming into contact with overhead lines. We are excited to continue bringing the benefits of underground power lines to many more of our customers across Florida to support faster restoration after storms and improve reliability for our customers.
Learn more about the program
Improving through undergrounding
Bringing undergrounding to your neighborhood
Learn about the SSUP construction process
Mejorando mediante el soterramiento
Llevar el soterramiento a su vecindario
Conozca el proceso de construcción
In the community
FPL continues strengthening the grid with underground power lines
Projects such as one we’re working on in Naples aim to improve the resiliency of the grid during hurricanes and severe weather.
Informing our customers about SSUP
Throughout the year, our customer outreach specialists host community meetings to inform customers of the benefits of participating in an SSUP project and what they can expect during the construction process.
Informing your elected leaders
Our team regularly communicates with towns, cities, municipalities and counties about the design, outreach, permitting and construction progress of SSUP projects in their jurisdictions. You may see us at your local, public meetings providing more information about projects in your area.
Friendly faces in the neighborhood
Meet our team – Michael Flowers
Michael, west region customer outreach lead, is proud to be part of a 30-strong team bringing the benefits of underground power lines to neighborhoods across Florida’s west coast. Read his story and learn more.
What your neighbors are saying
“Putting the power lines underground has improved reliability and peace of mind in our community. Our neighborhood has a lot of trees and we would often lose power during storms when branches would blow into overhead power lines. We were without power for a long time after Hurricane Irma. Placing the lines underground is much better.”
– Tammi Hellinger, Pinecrest (Miami-Dade County)
“It’s like a new world – fabulous. Every year trees were falling on the power lines and causing outages. We haven’t had any outages since FPL put in the underground lines in 2019. And the crews were courteous and professional and left my property like they were never here.”
– Chris Johnson, Sarasota (Sarasota County)
“Severe weather struck our area just one day after FPL brought our power lines underground. Looking at the significant damage we had on our property, including two snapped wooden poles that had been providing our power just two days prior, we likely would’ve been without power for days, if not weeks. My family went without power for almost two weeks when Hurricane Wilma struck almost two decades ago, so we know the importance of and work that goes into having power following severe weather."
– Tim Caesar, Palm Bay (Brevard County)
FAQs
Systemwide, underground neighborhood power lines performed about five to 14 times better than their overhead counterparts during the 2024 hurricane season (Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton). These lines perform approximately 50% better on a day-to-day basis.
Neighborhoods are selected for the program based on criteria approved by the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC), prioritizing areas that can most benefit from undergrounding. Selection criteria include: outages during hurricanes, vegetation-related outages and other reliability data.
At the beginning of an SSUP project, we conduct outreach to inform customers of the program and answer their questions. You will receive a letter informing you of selection for electric conversion via SSUP – you may call that direct number or fill out this form should you have any questions.
FPL employees and contractors may occasionally knock on your door to inform you of projects, like the installation of underground power lines, but will never try to sell you a product. Always ask to see the FPL employee or contractor’s photo identification badge.
If you would like to verify the identity of a customer outreach specialist, you may contact your local customer outreach lead by using the direct phone number provided in the informational packet you received by mail or by filling out this form.
FPL SSUP employees are dressed in FPL uniforms, a safety vest and carry a badge
We require an easement demonstrating your permission for us to enter your property to install, maintain, repair and/or replace underground power lines and other equipment, such as the examples below, including a padmounted transformer. The standard easement area for this project is 10 feet by 10 feet but may vary depending on field conditions.
As part of the notarization process when signing an easement, a customer outreach specialist will ask you to verify your identity by presenting a valid form of identification, such as a driver's license.
There are no out-of-pocket upfront costs required for SSUP. Rather, the costs are recovered from all customers through a Storm Protection Plan monthly charge approved by the FPSC, which includes SSUP and several other storm-protection programs. To learn more about the Storm Protection Plan Cost Recovery Clause on an FPL residential customer bill, click here.
Customers can engage with FPL to begin the overhead-to-underground conversion process at any time without needing to meet FPSC selection criteria. Unlike SSUP, the costs of voluntary undergrounding are paid by the municipalities or communities opting to convert their lines. Visit FPL.com/Undergrounding to learn more about voluntary undergrounding or click here for a comparison of our two undergrounding programs.
Every customer participating in the underground conversion project will be asked to sign a Junction Box Acknowledgement (JBA). The JBA is not an easement and does not convey any legal interest in your property. It simply acknowledges that a junction box adapter may be installed adjacent to your existing meter can to facilitate the conversion from overhead electric service to underground electric service. Learn more about the JBA.
The JBA does not grant FPL ownership rights, property rights, access rights or easement rights to your property. The agreement only confirms your consent for the conversion of your electric service.
In addition, all residents will be asked to allow our team to take a photograph of their existing meter and meter can. These photographs will be reviewed by our design and construction teams to determine how your service can be converted and identify any site-specific conditions that may require additional review.
An easement is written permission to enter onto property owned by another for a stated purpose, such as to install, maintain, repair and replace electric equipment. An easement is a formal legal document recorded in the public records of the county where the property is located.
Not every customer will be asked to sign an easement. Easements are only requested where our design and construction teams determine that equipment such as transformers or other electrical facilities are needed to safely and efficiently serve the neighborhood. Learn more about easements.
Contact us
Our friendly customer outreach specialists are available and ready to answer all your questions about bringing underground power lines to your neighborhood.
Contact us with any additional questions related to SSUP.
Digital library
Improving Through Undergrounding – English and Spanish
Directional Boring – English and Spanish
Junction Box Adapter – English and Spanish
Typical Underground Equipment – English and Spanish
Protecting Your Trees – English and Spanish
Equipment for Special Circumstances - English and Spanish
Understanding Easements - English and Spanish