Power restoration to Duke Energy's Florida customers continues after Hurricane Michael; company provides updated information

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- About 4,000 repair workers today continued to restore power to Duke Energy customers on the Florida Panhandle following Hurricane Michael.

About 14,800 customers remained without power as of 4:30 p.m. 

The company has repaired more than 62,000 outages. About 77,700 Duke Energy customers lost power during the storm.

The hurricane damaged a significant portion of the region's electric system, including transmission towers, substations, utility poles, power lines and other major infrastructure components – all of which will need to be repaired or replaced before power can be restored to many of Duke Energy's customers.

Customers can view an online map that provides the most current estimated power restoration times:

https://www.dukeenergyupdates.com/michael/florida/florida-restoration-timeline

Below is the latest power restoration information, by geographical zone.

• Zone 1 – Taylor, Madison, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie and Gilchrist counties: Power has been restored to all customers whose properties can receive power.
• Zone 2 – Jefferson and Leon counties: Power has been restored to all customers whose properties can receive power.
• Zone 3A – Wakulla County: Power has been restored to all customers whose properties can receive power.
• Zone 3B – Franklin County communities of Carrabelle, Lanark Village, Panacea and Alligator Point: The majority of customers whose properties can receive power will have service restored no later than 11:59 p.m., Monday, Oct. 15. Individual power restoration times will be updated as they become available. Visit https://www.duke-energy.com/outages for details.
• Zone 3C – Franklin County communities of St. George Island, Eastpoint and Apalachicola: The majority of customers whose properties can receive power will have service restored no later than 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 17. Visit https://www.duke-energy.com/outages for details.
• Zone 4 – Communities in this zone are located where the center of the hurricane made landfall, causing massive destruction. The majority of Gulf County customers whose properties can receive power, except for those in St. Joe Beach, can expect to have service restored by 11:59 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 18.                                                                
                            
  Duke Energy currently is unable to provide an estimated power restoration time for Bay County and Dog Island. The company is working hard to determine that information as soon as possible. Many parts of this area are difficult to access or totally inaccessible. Some areas will require extensive reconstruction of the electric system. 
                       
  Visit https://www.duke-energy.com/outages for details.

More information

• In all counties, estimated times indicate when power will be restored to the majority of customers whose properties did not experience damage or flooding that would prevent electric service restoration. Many customers' power will be restored sooner.
• Power restoration times in isolated areas might be extended, depending on damage severity.
• Damaged or flooded properties first might require repairs by a licensed electrician and/or an electrical inspection by local officials before electric service can be restored. This includes properties whose electric meter boxes were damaged. Though Duke Energy owns the actual meter at each customer's home or business, the customer owns the meter box in which the meter is mounted. For safety reasons, the company cannot restore power to a property whose meter box is damaged.
• For storm or power restoration updates, visit https://www.dukeenergyupdates.com/michael/florida – or follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).
• Latest damage photos – https://news.duke-energy.com/multimedia-gallery/photos/hurricane-michael-florida

Power line safety

• Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging.
• Consider all power lines – as well as trees, limbs and anything else in contact with power lines – energized and dangerous.
• Report power line hazards by calling 800.228.8485.
• 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.
• Click here for a video about power line safety

High-water safety

• People who live along lakes and rivers, and in other low-lying areas or areas prone to flooding, should pay close attention to local emergency management officials, the National Weather Service and local media for information about changing weather conditions and rising lake and river levels.
• High water conditions can create navigational hazards. The public should use caution and adhere to the advice of local emergency management officials before going on area lakes or rivers.
• Members of the public who have electrical service to facilities (piers, outside lighting on seawalls, etc.) on or near water, should have this service de-energized to avoid injuries and equipment damage.

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SOURCE Duke Energy