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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Science
- Yahoo
What's that blaring sound in St. Lucie County? Here's what it is
The St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant outdoor warning sirens will blare at noon Thursday as part of its quarterly testing. A one-minute sound from all 91 sirens will occur, along with a message indicating it is a test, which will be broadcast from the sirens before and after the alert. The sirens are within a 10-mile radius of the plant. The sirens are tested on the first Thursday of March, June, September and December. Regular testing not only ensures they are functioning, but raises public awareness about the system. In an actual emergency, sirens would sound for at least five minutes, followed by official instructions, which also would be disseminated on radio, television, social media and electronic road signs in key areas. To receive text, phone call and email alerts, you must sign up for Alert St. Lucie or Alert Martin, depending on which county you live in. Tests are conducted in partnership with Florida Power & Light Co., the St. Lucie County Public Safety Emergency Management Division and Martin County Emergency Management. The 1,132-acre power plant, which has two nuclear units, is at 6501 S. Ocean Drive in Jensen Beach, on Hutchinson Island between Fort Pierce and Stuart. Gianna Montesano is TCPalm's trending reporter. You can contact her at 772-409-1429, or follow her on Twitter @gonthescene. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: FPL tests St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant warning sirens emergency alert
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Gov. DeSantis urges Floridians at Home Depot in Jupiter to prepare for hurricane season
JUPITER — Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling on Florida residents to prepare for hurricane season and said the state is better prepared now to deal with storms than it has been in the past. He said at a news conference at a Home Depot in Jupiter on May 30 that there is normally a tax free holiday on hurricane supplies around June 1 — the first day of hurricane season — but that the state budget impasse has kept that from happening. He hopes one will happen this summer when the new budget is in place. 'You just have to prepare and plan that we are going to have impacts,' DeSantis told a sea of workers and shoppers. 'If you plan and it doesn't happen, you are never going to have great regrets on that. If you don't plan and it happens, you are going to be immediately saying, 'Why didn't I do this?' ' Recent storms like Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which made landfall within weeks of each other, found Florida better prepared to deal with storms, DeSantis said. Utilities statewide, led by Florida Power & Light Co., restored electrical power rapidly after the storms. A program that diverted all Florida Department of Transportation dump trucks to debris cleanup made storm pickups faster and more efficient. Essential local stores like supermarkets, led by Publix, are now better prepared with generators to open quicker after hurricanes hit, the governor said. DeSantis said the state received a reimbursement under the Biden Administration for its debris cleaning-efforts, but he doesn't know if the state will receive a similar reimbursement this year. 'People were like, 'Where is the president in all of this stuff?' DeSantis said. 'I think the Biden Administration was sensitive on the heels of that.' DeSantis said that if people are told to evacuate their homes, they don't have to travel to other states or take a 'major excursion.' He recommended that people in Palm Beach County find a place to stay more inland. The state cannot expect assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on hurricane preparation or response, he said. Any assistance from FEMA after the storm would require approval from the people running the agency, he said. Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said this hurricane season is predicted to be similarly active as compared to last year. He told people to follow a five-step plan to prepare for hurricane season: Know your home. If it was built before 2004, it is likely not up to Florida building codes. Know your zone. Are you in a storm surge or flood zone? Make a plan for everyone in your family, including pets. Build a disaster supply kit with essentials like water, food, flashlights, batteries and power banks. Keep your electric vehicles charged and gas tanks halfway full. If you need to evacuate, find a hotel or shelter built after 2004. Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@ Support local journalism: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Gov. DeSantis at Jupiter Home Depot: Prepare for hurricane season
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How far is your drive to work? Where longest, shortest commutes are in Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County workers who hate their morning commute might be surprised to learn they may have it better than many of their fellow residents. The average Palm Beach County worker's commute, the latest data shows, has barely changed compared with the year before the COVID-19 pandemic began. But some areas' commutes are much longer than others. The U.S. Census Bureau asks millions of Americans annually a slew of questions about themselves, such as their age, race or income, as part of its annual American Community Survey. It also asks people how long their daily commute to work takes, how they get to work and what time they leave home. The Census Bureau has collected responses across Palm Beach County, from 2019 to 2023, about people's daily trips to work. This is the latest data available. Residents countywide who do not work from home reported on average it took them just over 26½ minutes to undefined, down from about 27 minutes in 2019. The margin of error in both surveys was about 36 seconds. Palm Beach County in 2023 had 721,000 workers, the latest Census estimates show. Most of them — 70% — drove alone to their jobs, a seven-point drop from 2019. About 9.5% carpooled, virtually unchanged from 2019. Meanwhile, 15% of Palm Beach County workers did their jobs from home in 2023, nearly double the 8% four years prior. But that work-from-home figure had declined slightly from 17% in 2021, as residents countywide got vaccinated against COVID-19 and businesses required employees to work in person more. Still, the increase in working from home has led to fewer drivers on the road — more than 572,000 in 2023, down from 601,000 in 2019. About 76% of workers say their households have at least two vehicles. The largest number of workers in the county — 28% — leave for their jobs between 7 and 8 a.m. About 24% of workers leave home for their jobs before 7, about 23% between 8 and 9 a.m. and 26% after 9. About 10% of residents work outside the county. How does your daily drive compare? Read on to see how long residents in each part of the county said it takes for them to get to work. Residents living in and near Palm Beach County's southernmost line are more likely than people in any other part of the county to work from home and have shorter morning commutes. Average morning commute: About 21 minutes and 30 seconds Estimated number of workers: More than 63,000 Percent of people working from home: 22% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 27% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 14% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 and 9 a.m.: 55% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 31% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 67% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 2% Home to most of Palm Beach County's factories, lumber yards and a Florida Power & Light Co. utility plant, Riviera Beach residents have some of the shortest commutes of anyone in the 561 area code. Average morning commute: Just over 22 minutes Estimated number of workers: More than 51,000 Percent of people working from home: 14% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 32% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 25% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 and 9 a.m.: 50% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 25% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 70% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 4% Workers living in and around the biggest city in Palm Beach County have shorter commutes than many other residents in the county, despite traffic jams on big roads such as Okeechobee Boulevard or Dixie Highway. Average morning commute: Just over 23 minutes Estimated number of workers: Nearly 82,000 Percent of people working from home: 10% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 29% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 29% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 and 9 a.m.: 46% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 26% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 71% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 5% Many residents working from home, plus fewer overall workers compared with other urbanized parts of Palm Beach County, means shorter commutes for residents living in and around Jupiter. Average morning commute: About 24 minutes Estimated number of workers: About 45,000 Percent of people working from home: 18% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 28% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 19% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 and 9 a.m.: 55% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 26% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 69% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 5.5% Here is what commutes are like in the rural towns of Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay, southeast of Lake Okeechobee, on the western border of Palm Beach County. Average morning commute: About 25 minutes Estimated number of workers: More than 11,000 Percent of people working from home: Less than 2% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 35% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 42% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.: 42% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 16.5% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 68% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 8% Residents in this stretch of Palm Beach County have commutes in line with county averages. Average morning commute: About 26 minutes Estimated number of workers: About 154,000 Percent of people working from home: 13% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 39% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 24% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.: 49% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 26.5% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 74% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 10% This part of Palm Beach County covers Lake Worth Beach, Greenacres, Palm Springs, Haverhill and communities between those cities, up to the turnpike. Average morning commute: Just over 28 minutes Estimated number of workers: About 113,000 Percent of people working from home: 6% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 43% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 30% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 and 9 a.m.: 46.5% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 23% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 72% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 7% Even as working from home has grown fast in the growing communities west of Florida's Turnpike, residents still report long commutes. Most businesses in this part of Palm Beach County operate close to State Road 7. Average morning commute: Just under 30 minutes Estimated number of workers: About 97,000 Percent of people working from home: 20% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 49% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 21% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 and 9 a.m.: 52.5% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 27% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 69% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 18%. Residents of the semi-rural Jupiter Farms community, in the 33478 ZIP code west of Jupiter proper, are less likely to report long commutes compared with Acreage residents on the other side of Beeline Highway. Average morning commute: Just over 32 minutes Number of workers: More than 7,400 Percent of people working from home: 19% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 49% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 30% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 and 9 a.m.: 53% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 16% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 74% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 13% With few big employers in this semi-rural stretch of Palm Beach County, residents of The Acreage and its neighboring country club community, Ibis, have the county's longest commutes. Average morning commute: Just under 39 minutes Number of workers: More than 15,000 Percent of people working from home: 14% Percent of people commuting more than half an hour: 70% Percent of people leaving for work before 7 a.m.: 36% Percent of people leaving for work between 7 and 9 a.m.: 41% Percent of people leaving for work at 9 a.m. or later: 23% Percent of people who drive alone to work: 79% Percent of people working outside Palm Beach County: 8% Chris Persaud covers transportation in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Who in Palm Beach County has the longest and shortest work commutes?
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FPL proposes rate increases: Customers could pay 14% more in January than in 2024
If state regulators approve, most of Florida Power & Light Co.'s typical residential customers could be paying 14% more in January 2026 than they were as 2024 ended, because customers will get another rate increase on top of a storm surcharge that was added to bills this year. FPL's rate increase request for the next four years went to the state Public Utility Service Commission Friday. If approved, the state's largest utility would collect $1.54 billion more in 2026 than the company did this year and $927 million more in 2027. What a collection of advocacy groups called 'the biggest rate hike in U.S. history' is needed for growth and investing in solar-energy facilities, according to company officials. The current schedule of rates regulators have approved expires at the end of this year. 'At FPL, we're focused on our customers every single day,' FPL President and CEO Armando Pimentel said in a prepared statement. 'The balanced plan we submitted to the PSC would enable FPL to continue to make smart investments in the grid and in new generation resources to benefit our customers and to power our fast-growing state.' But leaders from environmental and consumer advocacy groups quickly issued a release slamming this latest request as 'an egregious ask.' The state Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers and business and consumer groups, has already given notice they will intervene when hearings start in the coming months. 'Floridians across the state want affordable, clean energy and deserve leadership that will prioritize that, said Brooke Ward, senior Florida organizer with Food & Water Watch, based in Washington, D.C. 'Instead, Gov. (Ron) DeSantis and greedy utilities expect Floridians to bankroll an unsustainable fossil fuel reliance and pad corporate profits.' FPL customers in January started paying off what FPL said it cost to respond to the outages and damage from the latest batch of hurricanes, Idalia in 2023 and then Debby, Helene and Milton in 2024. In December, regulators approved what was called a 'temporary' storm surcharge that would net FPL $1.2 million more in revenues to repair hurricane damage to its lines and restore power as quickly as possible More: FPL asks regulators to OK surcharge on bills to recover $1.2B for hurricane-related costs That storm surcharge added $12.02 a month to a typical 1,000-kilowatt residential bill starting in January and continuing through the end of the year; for Panhandle residents, it was an $8.07 increase for each monthly bill. Next year, if the PSC agrees, the typical FPL household's monthly electric bill for its customers on the peninsula will rise $8.23 from the current year and its customers on the Panhandle will see their typical monthly bill rise $3.50, but those increases are calculated on top of the surge in rates that customers saw in January's bill. Compared to what most FPL customers were paying in December 2024, they will be paying $20.25 more per month in 2026, a 14% increase. For customers in the northwest part of the state, it's going to be an increase of $11.57 per month from 2024, or about 8.5% more. Residential customers can calculate how the proposal would affect their individual bills by using the calculator feature at according to a news release. For its part, FPL officials say that even with the proposed rate adjustment, residential customer bills would remain well below the national average and below many other Florida utilities. The company has kept its rates from rising at the same rate as inflation, according to Friday's release. FPL has added about 275,000 customers since 2021 and expects to add about 335,000 more through the end of 2029, which will require significant new generating capacity and distribution infrastructure to meet demand in one of America's fastest growing states, according to a news release outlining the rate increase request. Also, the FPL, the nation's largest utility, has experience increased costs for labor, utility poles and cables, to name a few. If state regulators agree, the typical residential customer bill in January 2026, when adjusted for inflation, would be about 20% less than it was in 2006, the FPL release says. If rates increase as requested, the utility's return on equity will also increase and is sure to be a point of discussion at the upcoming hearings. Return on equity is a key measure of profitability. The commission typically approves a range of allowable return on equity and a 'midpoint' in the range. FPL proposed a midpoint of 11.9%, up from its current 10.6% midpoint that was approved at at 2021's rate hike hearings. The idea is to attract more investor money. As a comparison, the commission in December approved a 10.5% midpoint in a Tampa Electric Co. rate case. The average return on equity for electric utilities that regulators authorized in 2023 was at 9.6%, according to S&P Global, a financial information company. Reporting from the News Service of Florida was used in this report. Anne Geggis is the insurance reporter at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at ageggis@ support our journalism. Subscribe today This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: FPL is proposing increases in rates — what it means to you
