Duke Energy crews assess damage, restore power for thousands of customers across Carolinas

• More than 10,000 crew members responding to power outages.
• Extensive damage from high winds, heavy rain and flooding across Carolinas.
• 850,000 customers affected, nearly 500,000 restored.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of Duke Energy crews are working to restore power to thousands of customers in North Carolina and South Carolina following Hurricane Ian.

Since the storm has passed and conditions have improved, power line technicians and specialists from the Carolinas, other states, and Canada, have been assessing damage and restoring outages since Friday night. Duke Energy restores power in a sequence starting with public health and safety facilities and equipment that restores the greatest number of customers.

More than 850,000 customers lost power during the storm. As of Saturday morning, crews completed nearly 500,000 restorations; more than 400,000 in North Carolina and 76,000 in South Carolina.

Duke Energy is moving thousands of crews to respond to the hardest hit areas in and around Wake and Guilford counties. There is significant structural damage which may hinder progress early on.

More than 70 percent of Duke Energy's 1,566 customers in Edgecombe County lost power.

Other hard-hit counties included: Moore, Robeson, Vance, Wilson, Columbus, Stokes, Georgetown, Granville, Scotland, and Orange.

Estimated restoration times – once determined for specific areas – will be posted at duke-energy.com/outages/current-outages.

Customers who are registered to receive Duke Energy text outage alerts will receive a text once an estimated restoration time is established for their location. 

"I want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding as our crews work quickly and safely to restore power," said Jason Hollifield, Duke Energy's Carolinas storm director. "Every storm response is unique. Our crews in the field are working quickly and carefully, supported by many other teammates to deliver customer service, communications, supplies, logistics and all the essential work it takes to restore power to our customers."

Power restoration process

Click here for more information on how Duke Energy restores power.

Customers who experience a power outage can report it the following ways:

• Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).
• Visit duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device. 
• Use the Duke Energy mobile app (download the Duke Energy app on your smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play). 
• Call Duke Energy's automated outage-reporting system: 800.769.3766 (800-POWERON) 

More tips on what to do before, during and after a storm can be found at duke-energy.com/safety-and-preparedness/storm-safety.

A checklist serves as a helpful guide, but it's critical before, during and after a storm to follow the instructions and warnings of emergency management officials in your area.

Tips to protect refrigerated food during power outages

For customers who lose power and have full refrigerators and freezers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends the following:

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. 

• A refrigerator can keep food cold for about four hours if it is unopened. If the power will be out for more than four hours, use coolers to keep refrigerated food cold.

• A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.

The FDA offers additional tips for proper food handling and storage before, during and after a power outage at www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-and-water-safety-during-power-outages-and-floods.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business and at least a 50% carbon reduction from electric generation by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The 2050 net-zero goals also include Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 emissions. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2022 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Jeff Brooks (Carolinas Media inquiries)
Media line: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_JeffB

SOURCE Duke Energy