Duke Energy continues to restore power across Carolinas; 830,000 back online already

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has restored power to more than 830,000 customers so far in North Carolina and South Carolina out of more than 1.25 million total outages caused by what is now Tropical Storm Florence.  

Currently, 450,000 customers – 412,000 in North Carolina and 38,000 in South Carolina – remain without power as of 10 a.m. today. The company has 20,000 personnel working to restore power outages, including additional crews from about 25 states. Additional outages are expected today as the storm continues to affect the Carolinas.

Follow updated information

Latest outage numbers can be found here.

With the slow-moving storm and the massive damage in some areas, comprehensive assessments and restoration times have been difficult.

"Mobilizing our crews into the most affected areas has been one of our biggest challenges because of the rapidly changing road conditions due to flooding," said Howard Fowler, Duke Energy incident commander.

To give customers as much information as possible, Duke Energy has established 12 separate areas for restoration across the Carolinas to provide targeted updates. A map showing these areas will be continuously updated. Customers without power will be sent updated information via text messages. See the latest map.

"Duke Energy is providing our customers information as soon as it's available," said Barbara Higgins, the company's senior vice president and chief customer officer. "As the storm progresses, we'll be able to give more specific information about restoration efforts in cities and neighborhoods.

"Duke Energy greatly appreciates customers' patience as crews work as quickly and safely as possible," she added.

In hard-hit areas, estimated restoration times will be determined after field crews first complete damage assessments. That process could take several days due to road closures caused by severe flooding and storm debris, especially in the coastal areas of both states.

In those areas, total power restoration might take weeks, rather than days, due to widespread damage to power lines, utility poles and other key components of the electric grid.

How to report power outages

• Visit www.dukeenergyupdates.com

Storm updates

• Storm updates and videos from Duke Energy can be found at www.dukeenergyupdates.com

Stay away from fallen or sagging power lines

• Stay away from fallen and sagging power lines. Keep children, pets and others away from power lines.
• Consider all power lines – as well as trees, branches and anything else in contact with power lines – energized and dangerous.
• Use extreme caution when traversing damaged and flooded areas. Energized power lines could be hidden by debris and flood waters.

High-water safety reminders

• People who live along lakes and rivers, and in other low-lying or flood-prone areas, should pay close attention to local emergency management officials, the National Weather Service and local media for changing weather conditions and rising water levels.
• Updated lake levels are available at duke-energy.com//lakes and by calling 800.829.5253 (Duke Energy Carolinas lakes) or 800.899.4435 (Duke Energy Progress lakes).

Safety information for extended power outages

In dealing with extended outages, the company recommends:

• Never use a generator indoors. Always follow manufacturer instructions.
• Keep at least one battery-powered flashlight where it can be located easily in the dark. Listen for storm information on a battery-powered radio. Keep an extra supply of fresh batteries. Never use outdoor grills in the house.

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.

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy