Sinking Transformer Box Worries Woman

Cheryl Sims wasn't too worried when she first noticed the power transformer box behind her home sitting a little lower, but as the years passed she realized the box was slowly sinking into the ground.

Sims moved into her Coral Springs home in 1986. When she moved in, she remembers the transformer box looking "normal."

"It was on a cement pad that was about two inches thick, and it was above ground," Sims said.

Now years later, she can only see inches of the Florida Power & Light utility equipment.

"FPL stands for a big company that they would be taking care of their equipment," she said. "I didn't expect it to be sinking into the ground."

It's an issue Sims noticed around 10 years ago.

"I was amazed that was happening. I said that looks like it is getting lower, is that possible?" Sims wondered.

That's when she says she first called FPL for answers.

"There was no response, so you let it go," Sims said.

As the years passed, she says the transformer box only sunk deeper into the ground.

In May of this year, she says she called again. She says FPL told her they would send out a qualified contractor to assess the situation. When that didn't happen, she says she called back in August.

"I would just like someone to explain if it is a problem or not a problem," Sims said.

She says she was told an emergency crew would come out but when she never heard back, she called NBC 6 Responds.

"We take really good care of our house, we try to make sure everything is maintained structurally, physically, and to have a situation like that back there is troublesome," Sims said.

When we reached out to Florida Power & Light we were told sinking utility equipment did not pose any type of safety hazard.

In an email a FPL spokesperson sent us the following statement, "We are aware of a situation involving FPL equipment on a customer's property easement in Coral Springs that was first reported in May 2019. We have been in contact with the customer and are working closely with them to reach a solution. Due to our privacy policy, we do not discuss individual customer accounts."

In a separate email we were told, "Customers who discover equipment that they believe may be in an unsafe condition should call FPL immediately using the number listed on their bill." It went on to say, "FPL installs stainless steel pad-mounted transformers in accordance with national electric safety standards and applicable codes. The transformers are installed on top of concrete foundations after the developer has properly graded and compacted the soil. FPL inspects all aspects of our grid to ensure safety and reliability on a continual basis."

Sims says after we reached out to FPL she received a phone call and a visit from a supervisor. She says she was told within weeks work would begin to excavate and reset the box.

"I reached out to your help team and you responded and I felt much better about it because I was really feeling totally frustrated," Sims said.