FPL ordered to restore electricity in East Naples neighborhood

Article and Video Courtesy of ABC-7 WZVN

Fort Myers, Naples
Published December 23, 2013

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EAST NAPLES, FL - After more than a month with no streetlights, power will finally be restored for an East Naples community.
  

Florida Power and Light shut the streetlights off along Lago Villaggio Way in the Glen Eagle neighborhood. The company says the neighborhood hasn't paid its electric bill in 12 years.
  
The HOA claimed it was paying the bill to its master association at Glen Eagle, but FPL says it never got the money.
  
Therefore, the company hit the switch -- leaving the community without street lights for the past five weeks.

  
Homeowner Cindy Brewer's message is simple: "Ah, let there be light!"
   
That's exactly what a Collier County judge ruled Tuesday after Lago Villagio HOA filed an emergency injunction against its master association and FPL.
   
The judge ordered the HOA to post a $7,500 bond and once they do, FPL must turn their street lights back on.
  
So how dark has it really been?

    

"Dark enough that I backed into a vehicle, and I didn't realize it until I hit the vehicle," said Randy, who has lived in Lago Villagio for years.
  
"After we hit the car, we heard the sound, looked in our rearview mirror. It was so dark we could not even see what we had hit," said Diane.
  
A spokesperson for FPL provided the following statement: "We don't agree with it, however, we respect the judge's decision and will be supporting the injunction."

  

"I'm very excited about that, especially since I have two children," said Brewer.
  
But residents say it's been so long without the lights, they won't believe it until they see it.
  
An FPL spokesperson says they do expect to file a counterclaim to collect the money they're owed, which would cover the money for electricity they paid over the last five years.
  
Once FPL receives the bond paperwork, they'll send crews to get the lights back up and running.
FPL ordered to restore electricity in East Naples neighborhood.

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