500,000 Duke Energy customers back online since weekend winter storm; 156,000 remain without power

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy is working to restore the remaining 156,000 customers without power after this weekend's winter storm that produced record snowfalls across the Carolinas.  The company has restored more than a half million customers since the storm struck.

The public can follow the latest developments on the winter storm and Duke Energy's efforts to restore power at: https://www.dukeenergyupdates.com/.

As of noon today, the company reported 156,000 outages – 110,000 in North Carolina and 46,000 in South Carolina. The company has restored power to 500,000 customers since the weekend storm hit.

"This storm has challenged our customers in so many parts of their lives. We thank them for their patience," said Duke Energy Storm Director Jason Hollifield. "Duke Energy has made great progress in power restoration. But there is much left to be done. Our crews are working tirelessly to restore power as quickly and safety as possible – even though some remnants of the storm are still in our region."

Hollifield added that rugged travel conditions in hard-hit areas are challenging the movement of Duke Energy crews and local first responders.

"Some of our areas have more than a foot of snow on the ground and roadways that are barely passable," he added. "That multiplies the difficulty to restore power."

Among the hardest hit counties:

North Carolina: Buncombe, Guilford, Haywood, Mecklenburg, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties.

South Carolina: Cherokee, Greenville and Spartanburg counties.

Safety reminders

With temperatures at or below freezing, customers should heed the advice of state and local emergency management officials in North Carolina and South Carolina. Both states have mobile apps for the latest information on shelters and other needs.

• If you plan to use a generator due to a power outage, follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure safe and proper operation. Operate your generator outside. Never operate it inside a building or garage.

• Don't use grills or other outdoor appliances or equipment indoors for space heating or cooking, as these devices may emit carbon monoxide (CO). The following are symptoms of CO poisoning:  
• Flu-like symptoms                
• Headache                
• Drowsiness                
• Ringing sensation in the ears                
• Nausea                
• Blurred vision                
• Chest pains                
• Light-headedness or dizziness 
• If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, open doors and windows, leave your home / business and consult a physician. 

• Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized as well as trees or limbs in contact with lines. Please report downed power lines to Duke Energy.

• If a power line falls across a car that you're in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.

• If you are driving and encounter emergency responders or other roadside work crews, remember to MOVE OVER, it's the law in North Carolina and South Carolina, and a good practice for all drivers.

Reporting outages

Customers who experience an outage during the storm have multiple ways to report it:

• Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply)
• Call the automated outage-reporting system at 800.POWERON for Duke Energy Carolinas customers and 800.419.6356 for Duke Energy Progress customers
• Report an outage or view current outages online at www.dukeenergyupdates.com

Duke Energy will provide updates on its social media channels to keep customers informed if significant outages occur:

• Duke Energy on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DukeEnergy 
• Duke Energy on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DukeEnergy

About Duke Energy

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S., with approximately 29,000 employees and a generating capacity of 49,500 megawatts.

The company's Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit serves approximately 7.6 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.

Its Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. Its Commercial Renewables unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the U.S.

More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center includes news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues.

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Corporate Communications
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy