JUNO BEACH, Fla., Jan. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) today announced its ranking on Fortune's 2019 list of the "World's Most Admired Companies," being named No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry for the 12th time in 13 years. NextEra Energy, whose principal businesses are Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), Gulf Power Company and NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, was also recognized among the top 25 companies worldwide, across all industries, for innovation, use of corporate assets, social responsibility and long-term investment value.

"We're honored to be recognized by Fortune once again as a leader within our industry, as well as a company that excels in the important areas of innovation, use of corporate assets, social responsibility and long-term investment value," said Jim Robo, NextEra Energy chairman and chief executive officer. "At NextEra Energy, our people are our greatest asset. Talent is the key competitive advantage in our industry, and this recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees, who are focused on continuous improvement and innovation, and committed to providing the best possible benefits to our customers and stakeholders every day."

In the electric and gas utilities industry, NextEra Energy ranked No. 1 for eight of the nine rated attributes, including innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment value and quality of products/services.

Highlights for NextEra Energy include:

• Leading the world in wind and solar energy – NextEra Energy generates more renewable energy from the wind and sun than any other company in the world.
• Investing in American infrastructure – NextEra Energy is one of America's largest capital investors in infrastructure, and has more than $40 billion in new infrastructure investments planned through 2020.
• Providing outstanding value for shareholders – In 2018, NextEra Energy delivered total shareholder return of 14 percent that exceeded both the S&P 500 and the S&P 500 Utility Index.
• Respecting our environment – In 2017, NextEra Energy achieved its lowest-ever emissions rates of SO₂, NO_x and CO₂ – rates that were 96 percent, 76 percent and 55 percent lower, respectively, than the average U.S. utility sector.
• Providing outstanding customer value – With a service reliability better than 99 percent and a residential customer bill approximately 30 percent lower than the latest national average, FPL takes pride in providing its customers with affordable, reliable and clean energy to power their homes and businesses. NextEra Energy's newest business, Gulf Power, has been serving its customers with reliable and environmentally responsible energy for more than 90 years.
• Responding to unprecedented natural disasters – In 2018, less than a month after deploying more than 900 employees and contractors to North Carolina to aid in the recovery following Hurricane Florence, more than 1,000 FPL employees and contractors traveled to communities in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to help restore power to communities impacted by Hurricane Michael. Following the hurricanes in 2018, Edison Electric Institute awarded Gulf Power with the "Emergency Recovery Award" for its outstanding power restoration efforts after Hurricane Michael, and awarded FPL with the "Emergency Assistance Award" for its contributions in restoring power to hard-hit North Carolina communities after Hurricane Florence.

Fortune's annual list is based on ratings from executives, directors and analysts, who rate the highest-revenue companies within their industry on nine criteria including innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment value, quality of products/services and global competitiveness.

View the complete results for Fortune's 2019 list of the "World's Most Admired Companies."

NextEra Energy, Inc.
NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. NextEra Energy owns two electric companies in Florida: Florida Power & Light Company, which serves more than five million customer accounts in Florida and is the largest rate-regulated electric utility in the United States as measured by retail electricity produced and sold; and Gulf Power Company, which serves more than 460,000 customers in eight counties throughout northwest Florida. NextEra Energy also owns a competitive energy business, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. Through its subsidiaries, NextEra Energy generates clean, emissions-free electricity from eight commercial nuclear power units in Florida, New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin. A Fortune 200 company and included in the S&P 100 index, NextEra Energy has been recognized often by third parties for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity. NextEra Energy is ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry on Fortune's 2019 list of "World's Most Admired Companies" and ranked among the top 25 on Fortune's 2018 list of companies that "Change the World." For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.GulfPower.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc.