Power Flickers

Flickers may occur at any time – even on a sunny day – and can be caused by a number of factors, including:

• Lightning strikes
• Damaged electrical equipment
• Vegetation – tree branches, palm fronds or other debris – making contact with power lines
• Animals interfering with electrical equipment
• Salt spray affecting FPL equipment in coastal areas

Let's look at one example using the illustration below. One of the most common causes of power flickers is when a tree branch or palm frond is blown into overhead power lines. When the branch makes contact with our lines (A), the system detects the interference and shuts off electricity to that section of the line for a brief period – usually a few seconds (B). The tree branch or palm frond typically falls to the ground, allowing service to be restored quickly.

This process allows the system to determine if there is a break in the line or other electrical difficulty. Briefly shutting off power and isolating the problem area helps prevent damage to the electric system, which could result in a longer outage and affect many more customers.

For example, a flicker on your local power line could affect electric service for you and 200 of your neighbors. Without this brief interruption, the outage could last several hours, spread to other power lines and affect service for thousands of customers.

In addition to affecting customers served directly by the affected power line, other customers in the area who receive electric service from adjacent lines may also experience a flicker. Interference on the line, such as a fallen tree branch, often produces a brief drop in electricity – called a “voltage sag” – on adjacent power lines that affects customers served by those wires.

Conversely, a lightning strike could cause a power “surge” – a brief, but noticeable increase in electricity in your home or business that may cause a flicker.

You may notice the lights flicker or experience a brief outage lasting several seconds. There also could be a series of flickers over a period of a few minutes. Although these outages are brief, we understand how frustrating they can be for you. Your appliances and electronic devices may shut off and need to be rese

Power flickers can even affect your service if you receive electricity from an underground power line. Underground wires ultimately connect with overhead lines and equipment located elsewhere on the power grid, away from your immediate area. Animals and reptiles also sometimes interfere with underground power cables.

FPL is further researching the causes of power flickers to determine their full impact on customers. More importantly, we're identifying and taking steps to reduce their number.

Smart grid technology - including smart meters - are helping us better understand what our customers experience when flickers occur and help us avoid them all together. FPL's smart grid includes about six million smart meters and more than 240,000 other intelligent devices that help us know when interruptions occur. Before, we could only measure the number of homes and businesses affected directly by the brief outage on their local power line. Today, thanks to smart grid technology, we're able to gauge the outage's impact more accurately on customers in nearby areas whose electric service is affected indirectly - primarily due to a voltage sag or power surge. FPL is working aggressively on several fronts to reduce the frequency of flickers, including:

• Targeting power lines that experience the highest number of flickers for improvements
• Analyzing all technology options to prevent the initial flicker on a power line, and reduce its impact on adjacent lines
• Clearing vegetation from tens of thousands of miles of lines annually
• Inspecting 100% of our poles per inspection cycle

As we focus on our program to reduce flickers, you can take steps to minimize their effect on your home or business. Devices such as surge protectors can help maintain the flow of electricity and prevent possible damage to your appliances and equipment. Surge protectors act like electrical sponges, absorbing excess energy and preventing most of it from reaching your electronic devices.

At FPL, we understand how frustrating power outages, or flickers, can be – and we’re committed to reducing them and their impact on you. Here are the most common questions we receive from our customers. 

• What causes power flickers?
  There are several factors that can trigger power flickers: lightning, damaged electrical equipment, and objects making contact with power lines, including tree branches, palm fronds and vegetation – even animals. In coastal areas, salt spray from the ocean can affect FPL equipment and cause flickers at your home or business.
• Why do they occur in good weather – even on a sunny day?
  While power flickers are more common during stormy or windy conditions, they can occur at any time and in any weather. The causes of flickers – animals and vegetation making contact with power lines, lightning and other factors – never take a rest.
• Why are homes and businesses served by an underground power line affected by flickers?
  Even if you receive electric service from underground power lines, you may be affected by brief outages because the underground wires ultimately connect with overhead lines and equipment – including power substations – that may be located away from your neighborhood. In addition, animals and reptiles sometimes interfere with our underground power cables, causing flickers or longer outages.
• Why do these brief outages seem to occur frequently in some neighborhoods?
  Power flickers can be caused by a number of factors (see above). If you are experiencing flickers or longer outages, please contact us at 1-800-4OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243) and we’ll work to improve your service.
• Can power flickers damage home appliances or other electronic devices?
  Any appliance or device that plugs into an electrical outlet can be affected by a disturbance in the flow of electricity into your home or business. There are several steps you can take to prevent problems when a flicker occurs.
• What is FPL doing to prevent these brief power outages?
  If you've experienced a problem with power flickers, we apologize - and want you to know we're working to reduce both their frequency and impact. Smart grid technology - including smart meters - are helping us better understand what our customers experience when flickers occur and help us avoid them all together. FPL's smart grid includes about six million smart meters and more than 240,000 other intelligent devices that help us know when interruptions occur. Before, we could only measure the number of homes and businesses affected directly by the brief outage on their local power line. Today, thanks to smart grid technology, we're able to gauge the outage's impact more accurately on customers in nearby areas whose electric service is affected indirectly - primarily due to a voltage sag or power surge.
• Is there anything customers can do to protect their electronic devices?
  Yes. Devices such as surge protectors can help maintain the flow of electricity and prevent possible damage to your appliances and equipment. 
• Where should customers call to report power flickers?
  You can report a power outage – whether it lasts a few seconds or longer – by contacting us at 1-800-4OUTAGE(1-800-468-8243) or reporting the outage online.