FORT MYERS, Fla. — Florida Power and Light wants to bury electrical service cables in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Fort Myers. The project, called the Storm Secure Underground Program, would include residential streets along McGregor Boulevard near the Edison Restaurant, including Shadow Lane.
FPL says that the underground cables would withstand severe weather - such as lightning and high winds - much better than overhead wires.
But there is no guarantee. Mary Lou Williams lives in the nearby community of Whiskey Creek, which already has underground electric cables. She said her power was out for an extended period after Hurricane Irma.
"It's hard to remember," she said. "It was at least a week."
Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson said that FPL needs the consent of homeowners before burying cable on their property.
"A five to ten-foot easement, so FPL can bury the equipment," Henderson said.
It's unclear if a date to begin construction of the underground cable project has been decided.
