Duke Energy restores power to 723,000 Carolinas customers, restoration work continues as company determines restoration times for hardest-hit areas
Duke Energy restores power to 723,000 Carolinas customers, restoration work continues as company determines restoration times for hardest-hit areas |
[28-September-2024] |
Editor's note: B-roll of flooding in Asheville is available on the Duke Energy News Center. CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy workers have labored through record flooding, road closures, storm debris and more over the past 24 hours to restore power to 723,000 customers in the Carolinas. The company said nearly all customers outside of the western parts of the Carolinas should have power restored by 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 29, though many will be restored before then. Workers continue to encounter major challenges accessing areas across the North Carolina mountains and Upstate of South Carolina, limiting the company's ability to assess damage and provide customers with estimates for when power is likely to be restored. Duke Energy is working with local and state officials to gain access to the hardest-hit areas where roads are obstructed. The company is also supplementing its damage assessment efforts with helicopters and drones and will publish estimated power restoration times as soon as possible. "Historic flooding, debris and road closures remain an incredible challenge to assessing the severe damage to our system and restoring power in the North Carolina mountains and South Carolina Upstate," said Jason Hollifield, Duke Energy storm director for the Carolinas. "Our crews appreciate our customers' patience and support as they continue working around the clock to safely and quickly restore power." Power outage and restoration updates Approximately 1.1 million customers – 539,000 in North Carolina and 597,000 in South Carolina – remain without power. The vast majority of these outages are in the western portions of each state. The company serves more than 4.5 million customers in the Carolinas, including 3.7 million in North Carolina and 835,500 in South Carolina. Duke Energy lineworkers, tree trimmers and other storm support workers started assessing damage and restoring power before Helene even exited the Carolinas on Friday afternoon. Workers will continue to assess damage – with the help of helicopters and drones in the hardest-hit areas – and restore power until every customer who can safely receive power is back on line. Information on estimated restoration times is continually updated on Duke Energy's Outage Maps tool. Customers also can enroll in Outage Alerts to get information about area outages and restoration efforts via text message, voice message or email. Power restoration process
Visit duke-energy.com/Outages/Restoring-Your-Power to learn more about how Duke Energy restores power after major storms. More storm workers arriving Duke Energy is also working to bring additional resources to the region. Move over, it's the law Additionally, the company asks members of the public to avoid approaching utility workers in the field or entering their work zones as they clear debris and restore power. Flood and meter box damage A property owner with a damaged meter box or one that is pulled away from the structure will need to enlist an electrician to reattach the meter box and/or provide a permanent fix. This is inclusive of customers currently with and without power. In some instances, an electrical inspection may be required by the county before Duke Energy can reconnect service. An electrician can advise customers on next steps. Generator safety Record-high lake levels and associated flooding Several of its lakes in the upper part of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin have already crested and are expected to slowly decline over the next several days. Other lakes may continue to rise and could lead to flooding. Duke Energy urges people living in low-lying areas to use caution, stay informed and follow the directions of state and county emergency management. They should also watch for emergency notification messages on their mobile phones. Real-time lake level information is available at duke-energy.com/lakes or by calling 800.829.LAKE (5253). Updates are also available through the Duke Energy Lake View mobile app, which is available from the App Store and Google Play. Duke Energy Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear. More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition. 24-Hour: 800.559.3853 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duke-energy-restores-power-to-723-000-carolinas-customers-restoration-work-continues-as-company-determines-restoration-times-for-hardest-hit-areas-302261717.html SOURCE Duke Energy | ||
Company Codes: NYSE:DUK |