FMEA Recognizes Florida Public Power Utilities with 2025 “Restoring Communities Awards”

The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) today announced its 2025 “Restoring Communities Awards,” which recognize Florida public power utilities for their exemplary power restoration efforts in their own communities or their mutual aid efforts outside of their home communities following severe weather events, non-weather-related emergencies and blue-sky day projects.

Three Florida public power utilities were honored for their efforts to aid and assist fellow public power communities when called on in 2025 – the City of Tallahassee, Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) and the City of Starke.

While Florida often sends and receives mutual aid following summer weather events, mutual aid extends beyond hurricane season and in different types of weather such as winter storms. Florida public power utilities not only assist communities within Florida, but other states, as well.

In anticipation of projected cold weather impacts from a winter storm that dipped into the southeast, the City of Marietta, Georgia, had concerns about power outages resulting from an accumulation of ice on power lines and trees. The City of Tallahassee answered their call for mutual aid, deploying resources and crew members to the City of Marietta in advance of the storm. The rapid response and expertise of the City of Tallahassee’s mutual aid crews was critical in assisting the City of Marietta with efforts to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

When planning a major project that would replace electrical feeder lines that were close to another circuit, a potential longer-term safety and reliability issue, the City of Starke brought in nearby Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) to share resources to assist them on the project. Working together, the City of Starke and GRU completed the project safely, more efficiently, and in less time, while reducing any potential interruptions in service to customers.

“Florida’s mutual aid crews work through all kinds of weather: from the sweltering heat of summer to the freezing cold of the winter and everything in between. When Florida public power is needed, we are there whether that’s in our home state or anywhere else in the country. We are also there for each other as we plan and complete major infrastructure improvement and reliability enhancement projects,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director. “Thanks to each of the 2025 award recipients for powering our communities.”

Mutual aid agreements enable electric utilities to call on each other for skilled emergency workers and supplies. Public power utilities across the country benefit from the strong network of mutual aid partners through the American Public Power Association. These connections have created a reliable system where member utilities both request and offer assistance when there’s a need. FMEA is proud to serve as the mutual aid coordinator for Florida’s 33 public power utilities.

For more information on FMEA and Florida’s public power communities, please visit www.flpublicpower.com.