Duke Energy workforce of 9,000 responding to power outages in the Carolinas
Duke Energy workforce of 9,000 responding to power outages in the Carolinas - Company expecting multi-day outages due to wet snow, sleet and freezing rain |
[09-December-2018] |
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost 9,000 personnel are responding to Duke Energy power outages due to a winter storm that is rolling through the Carolinas this weekend.
Customers 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 240,000 outages – 170,000 in North Carolina and 70,000 in South Carolina. The company has restored power to 80,000 customers since last night and early this morning. "We appreciate the patience of our customers, who are personally dealing with the impacts of the storm," said Duke Energy Storm Director Jason Hollifield. "We are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to our affected areas." Among the hardest hit counties: North Carolina: Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Mecklenburg, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania and Wake counties. South Carolina: Greenville and Spartanburg counties. A mix of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain are causing branches to sag and trees to fall, bringing power lines down with them. Also, hazardous road conditions are resulting in vehicle accidents. Cars hitting power poles and other electrical infrastructure further increase the risk of power outages. The company typically requires 12-24 hours to fully assess damage from a significant weather event, even while simultaneously restoring power. Winter storms can present additional challenges to moving personnel and equipment within hard-hit areas. Safety reminders With temperatures below freezing, customers should make a plan to move family members – especially those with special needs – to a safe, alternative location in case an extended power outage occurs. The company urges everyone to be prepared and stay safe – and encourage other family members, friends and neighbors to do the same.
Reporting outages Customers who experience an outage during the storm have multiple ways to report it:
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 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duke-energy-workforce-of-9-000-responding-to-power-outages-in-the-carolinas-300762340.html SOURCE Duke Energy | ||
Company Codes: NYSE:DUK |
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