Pinellas County is a long way from the Pacific Ocean.
Which is why San Diego Gas & Electric field mechanic Chris Maier should probably be forgiven for feeling a little disoriented Thursday to find himself at the corner of Pierce Street and South Betty Lane in Clearwater as some of his colleagues worked to repair a power line.
Ever since out-of-state line crews assisted SDG&E after a catastrophic wildfire swept through its service territory last fall, Maier had wanted to return the favor.
"I figured it'd be up in Frisco after an earthquake," he said, adding that it took a while for him absorb that he was heading to Florida instead.
"Until just about the time I got on the plane, I thought, "This isn't going happen,' " he said.
Maier is one of thousands of out-of-state linemen and tree-trimmers who have converged on Florida during recent weeks to restore power after Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.
In response to the unprecedented challenge posed by the four storms, the state's electric utilities have taken extraordinary measures to get the lights back on.
Tampa Electric Co. pulled in tree trimmers from Vermont and Rhode Island. Progress Energy Florida of St. Petersburg and Florida Power & Light of Juno Beach flew in linemen from California and other western states. Gulf Power Co. of Pensacola constructed giant "tent cities" to house thousands of out-of-state repair personnel.
The costs associated with such measures are borne by customers or taxpayers.
Storm restoration bills tallied by investor-owned utilities such as Progress, FPL and Tampa Electric are passed on to customers through storm damage reserve funds the companies accumulate via monthly bills or added surcharges to cover shortfalls in those reserves. Any surcharges must be approved by the Florida Public Service Commission.
Nonprofit municipal utilities and electric cooperatives, such as Lakeland Electric and Withlacoochee Electric Cooperative of Dade City, can recover up to 75 percent of their recovery costs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and an additional 12.5 percent from the state, which can seek reimbursement from FEMA.
Utility officials say there is no question that such costs are necessary. "If we had taken a poll at the beginning of a storm and asked "do you want us to restore your power as quickly as possible or do you want us to pinch pennies and not do everything we can,' I know what the answer would be," Gulf Power spokesman John Hutchinson said.
Tallahassee consumer attorney Mike Twomey said the PSC has an important role in ensuring that storm restoration costs are prudent and justified. But he emphasized that getting power restored quickly must always remain a top priority.
"If having people flying from California or trucked from Vermont results in tens of thousands of people a day getting their power back, there's a good chance it makes sense," he said.
The San Diego linemen flew Delta Air Lines into Tampa on Tuesday night and have been staying at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg because of a lack of available rooms at cheaper locations. Their bucket trucks and equipment were transported cross-country by flat-bed trucks.
On Thursday, they were making their way through various residential neighborhoods in Clearwater to assist Progress in restoring electricity after Hurricane Jeanne. If Progress completes its restoration efforts today as planned, the San Diego crews will move on to help another utility, possibly FP&L.
Foreman Dean Buesch said he had never been to Florida.
"We're looking forward to seeing some alligators," he said. "My kids want me to take some pictures of alligator crossing signs if we see them."
Lineman David England said the "super-high humidity" was something he'd have to get used. But even that could turn out to be an advantage, he said.
"I'm here to lose a pound a day," England joked. "I've got 40 pounds to lose and the humidity is going to help."
