JUNO BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 23, 2004--Kids home for the summer and visiting relatives may mean your kitchen is doing overtime this time of year. Florida Power & Light Company has many tips to keep your kitchen and home comfortable, while keeping energy bills down.

"Cooking and cleaning activities can use up more energy than most people realize," said Bill Hamilton, vice president of customer service for FPL. "Especially while entertaining, it's a good idea to keep a tight lid on energy use and avoid wasting electricity wherever possible."

FPL suggests the following energy-saving advice to keep your kitchen cool and efficient:

    Cooking

    --  Cook with your toaster or microwave oven whenever possible.
        They're more energy-efficient than your oven and add less heat
        to your kitchen, which reduces the impact on your air
        conditioner.

    --  Plan oven cooking so that several items can be prepared at one
        time, at the same temperature.

    --  Match pot size to burner size on your stovetop. Cover your
        pots when you can; the contents will heat faster. Once food
        reaches a boil or simmer, lower the heat.

    Cleaning

    --  Always avoid pre-rinsing dishes before loading them in the
        dishwasher (doing so can save up to $70 a year). Because your
        dishwasher uses the same amount of water and energy to run a
        full or partial load, wait until you have a full load to use
        it. To save even more, select no-heat drying or let dishes
        air-dry.

    --  Use your oven's self-cleaning cycle only for major cleaning
        jobs. When self-cleaning is necessary, start the cycle right
        after cooking, while the oven is still hot.

    Refrigerator/Freezer Tips

Refrigeration is the third-largest user of energy in your home (after air conditioning and water heating). To maximize efficiency with your refrigerator and freezer, FPL recommends:

    --  Avoid using multiple refrigerators. If you have an extra
        refrigerator that is not kept full or is hardly used, turn it
        off or get rid of it to save up to $100 a year.

    --  Keeping them full helps retain cold air better, especially
        when the door is opened.

    --  Cover your food before storing it.

    --  To prevent cool air from escaping, get everything you need out
        at one time.

While cutting energy waste in the kitchen may save a few dollars, air conditioning makes up the largest portion of a home's energy use in the summer -- about 60 percent. This is because hotter weather means the air conditioner runs longer, even if the thermostat setting isn't changed. And energy use will increase further with houseguests, children home for the summer or if family members work from home.

FPL offers these tips to help ensure an A/C system is working as efficiently as possible during the warmest time of the year:

    --  Set the thermostat at 78 degrees or warmer with the fan switch
        on "auto." For additional savings, raise the thermostat to
        82 degrees or warmer when away from home. To see the monthly
        cost to run a central A/C at different temperature settings,
        slide the "virtual thermostat" up and down on FPL's Energy
        Advisor, available at http://www.FPL.com.

    --  Install a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature
        automatically and maximize energy savings.

    --  When away on vacation, set the thermostat to 85 degrees with
        the fan on "auto," to help prevent mildew from developing.

    --  Use ceiling fans to make a room feel cool, even at higher
        thermostat settings. But remember to turn off the fan when
        leaving a room. A fan that runs all the time costs about $7 a
        month, depending on speed, model, and age of fan.

    --  Check or change the air conditioning filter monthly.

    --  Keep bright sunlight out. Close blinds, drapes and shades
        during the hottest time of day.

FPL customers should also consider using the company's Online Home Energy Survey found at www.FPL.com. It offers expert, individual analysis of a home's energy use, with a personalized report of recommendations for year-round savings. Customers can also sign up online for FPL's Budget Billing program that helps make monthly residential electric bills more predictable. Budget Billing lets customers pay an amount that's approximately the same each month, eliminating high bill surprises in the months when more electricity is used.

By visiting www.FPL.com, energy customers everywhere can access a wealth of information on saving energy and money; unbiased advice to help make the right major appliance purchase; and tips on how simple changes to daily habits can save money. Customers may also call 1-800-Dial-FPL for assistance.

Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE:FPL), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and services. With annual revenues of more than $9 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies. Florida Power & Light Company serves more than 4.2 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group's wholesale electricity generating subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPL.com, www.FPLGroup.com and www.FPLEnergy.com.

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    CONTACT: Florida Power & Light Company, Miami
             Corporate Communications: Patricia Davis, 305-552-3888

    SOURCE: Florida Power & Light Company