Harris Corporation and Florida Power & Light partner to advance communications at nation's third largest electric utility

- Initiative strengthens partnership between two of Florida's largest companies

- Digital system will enhance communications for field employees serving 10 million people

- Solution enables interoperability among FPL, first responders and others in public safety

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Oct 20, 2016, 10:06 ET

JUNO BEACH and MELBOURNE, Fla., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) are partnering to create an advanced digital system that will enhance communications for FPL's extensive operations, which serve approximately 10 million people throughout the state.

FPL, the nation's third largest electric utility, will transition from its legacy analog radio communications system to a Harris P25 digital network solution for its 3,000-plus employees who work in the field. The integrated system will include Harris' Symphony command center dispatch consoles, XL-200P advanced digital handheld radios, and the BeOn^® platform for integration of narrowband and broadband solutions.

"Harris and Florida Power & Light have a long history of working together and implementing cutting-edge solutions that benefit our customers throughout the state," said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. "This represents an example of two major Florida companies working together to provide our residents with the best level of service and support possible."

"Florida Power & Light and Harris share a strong commitment to innovation, and we are proud to partner with FPL to support millions of Floridians, including 6,500 Harris employees who call Florida home," said William M. Brown, chairman, president and CEO, Harris Corporation. "This initiative extends Harris' legacy of providing advanced technology to the state's utilities, first responders and other customers with mission critical communications needs."

The all-digital network will extend the range and quality of FPL's communications capabilities across the 35 Florida counties the company serves, which is critical for crews in the field, particularly when responding to power outages. The network also will enable FPL for the first time to communicate and coordinate efforts with first responders and other public safety teams during emergency responses and hurricane season. The new system is scheduled to be completed in 2018 and will be used by FPL's power delivery team and other field employees.

The new network leverages Harris' advanced technology, which is the foundation for FPL's existing communications network and Florida's State Law Enforcement Radio System. These reliable systems have successfully supported service crews and first responders during emergencies over the past 20 years, including the most recent Hurricane Matthew.

The new communications system is one of several enhancements that FPL has implemented in recent years to help it improve its service to customers. FPL operates one of the most advanced electric grids in the nation. Advanced technology helps FPL reduce costs and improve its system reliability, which is among the best in the nation – nearly 50 percent better than the national average.

About Harris Corporation

Harris Corporation is a leading technology innovator, solving customers' toughest mission-critical challenges by providing solutions that connect, inform and protect. Harris supports customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $7.5 billion in annual revenue and 21,000 employees worldwide. The company is organized into four business segments: Communication Systems, Space and Intelligence Systems, Electronic Systems and Critical Networks. Harris' Public Safety and Professional Communications business is a leading supplier of communications systems and equipment to support public safety, federal, utility, commercial and transportation markets. The business has more than 80 years of experience in public safety and professional communications, and supports more than 500 systems around the world. Learn more at harris.com.

Florida Power & Light Company

Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving more than 4.8 million customer accounts or more than 10 million people across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL's typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30 percent lower than the latest national average and, in 2015, was the lowest in Florida among reporting utilities for the sixth year in a row. FPL's service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all utilities nationwide. The company received the top ranking in the southern U.S. among large electric providers, according to the J.D. Power 2016 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM, and was recognized in 2016 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Market Strategies International. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,800 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune's 2016 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

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SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company