Ted Kury

Most Floridians got power back quickly after Ian. But for some the wait has just begun.

In recent decades, Florida has experienced widespread blackouts after several significant storms. Between 2004 and 2005, the state was walloped by five major hurricanes, including Charley, which cut a similar path through Florida as Ian. A year later, Wilma devastated the state, again leaving hundreds of thousands in the dark.

Florida Power & Light, the state’s largest provider, was accused of skimping on maintenance, putting residents at risk during storms.

Ted Kury, director of energy studies at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business, said the Florida Public Service Commission forced utility companies to sit down and take resilience more seriously. Annual storm-preparedness briefings were put in place so that companies could share what they learned.

Read more insights from Kury in this story from The Washington Post