- Company restored more than 380,000 customer outages as of
4 p.m.
- Approximately 1.34 million customers, mostly in
western N.C. and the Upstate of S.C., remain without power and
should prepare for potential multiday outages
- About 11,000 workers working quickly and safely on repairs,
including additional crews from 19 states and Canada
- Customers urged to be cautious of damaged equipment, rising
lake levels along the Catawba-Wateree River Basin
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 27,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy lineworkers, tree
trimmers and other storm support workers have begun to assess
damage and restore power following Helene's historic destruction in
the Carolinas. Wind damage, flooding, adverse road conditions and
power outages are particularly widespread across the western
portions of North Carolina and
South Carolina.
As of 4 p.m.:
- Approximately 1.34 million Duke Energy customers in the
Carolinas are without power. This includes nearly 703,000 customers
in North Carolina and about
639,000 customers in South
Carolina.
- Duke Energy has already restored more than 380,000 customer
outages in the Carolinas, including roughly 281,000 in North Carolina and 99,000 in South Carolina.
Duke Energy also reports that the effects of flooding and road
closures will impede efforts to restore power, especially in
western North Carolina and the
Upstate of South Carolina, where
outages are most prevalent.
As workers continue performing damage assessments, Duke Energy
said it plans to communicate additional information regarding
restoration times to customers through dukeenergyupdates.com,
Outage Alerts and its Outage Map.
"Helene's winds were powerful and destructive and its rains were
historic," said Jason Hollifield,
storm director for Duke Energy in the Carolinas. "We started
monitoring Helene when it was first identified and prepared well in
advance for its impact. Even so, the damage is extensive and it
could take days to restore power to all customers.
"We have over 11,000 storm workers who are committed to doing
everything possible to restore service as quickly and safely as
possible. We're also bringing in thousands of additional resources
to help with power restorations in the hardest hit areas."
Reporting a power outage
Duke Energy advises customers
to report power outages via the Duke Energy
app or website, by texting OUT to 57801 or by calling
800.POWERON (800.769.3766).
Power restoration process
Workers must assess the
extent of storm damage before being able to restore most power
outages. This process can take 24 hours or more and is necessary to
determine what types of workers, equipment and supplies are needed
to repair a particular outage.
Duke Energy focuses on restoring power as safely and
quickly as possible and in a sequence that begins with public
health and safety facilities, while also considering how to impact
the greatest number of customers.
Learn more about how Duke Energy restores power.
Thousands of workers from U.S. and Canada
In advance of the storm, Duke
Energy strategically staged equipment and approximately 11,000
workers – power line technicians, damage assessors and vegetation
workers – at strategic locations across the Carolinas. The
workforce includes Duke Energy employees and contractors normally
based in the Carolinas and individuals from other electric
companies in 19 U.S. states and Canada.
Safety recommendations for customers
Duke Energy asks
customers to stay tuned to local news for the latest advisories
from state and local emergency management officials. The company
also offered these safety tips and reminders:
- Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging.
Consider all lines energized as well as trees, limbs or anything in
contact with lines.
- If a power line falls across a car that you are 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.
- Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwaters.
- When using a power generator, always follow the manufacturer's
instructions to ensure safe and proper operation. This includes
operating the generator outside in a well-ventilated area – and
never inside a building or garage.
- Please watch for utility crews and turn the generator off when
crews are in your area. The electrical load on the power lines can
be hazardous for crews making repairs.
- If rising water threatens your home – or if you evacuate your
home – turn off your power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse
box.
- Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from
downed power lines and electrical wires. Don't drive over or stand
near downed power lines.
- Downed lines may be hard to see in the rain and can potentially
be hidden in standing water. If you encounter large pools of
standing water, stop, back up and choose another path.
- If your home or business is flooded, Duke Energy cannot
reconnect power until the electrical system has been inspected by a
licensed electrician. If there is damage, an electrician will
need to make repairs and obtain verification from your local
building inspection authority before power can be restored.
Potential flooding due to rising lake levels
Lake
levels continue to rise sharply as heavy precipitation from Helene
adds to the many inches of rain the region already received this
week. This is especially true for the Catawba-Wateree River Basin,
which is composed of a chain of 11 lakes and 12 hydroelectric
stations connected by the Catawba River.
Duke Energy manages the lakes' water levels while balancing
inflows, including from events such as this. The company does this
by moving water through its generating units and, where possible,
operating spillway gates and flood gates. Because water management
in one lake often impacts others, Duke Energy manages the river
basins as an entire system.
The company began aggressively moving water through the
Catawba-Wateree River Basin earlier this week in anticipation of
Helene's arrival as well as a separate weather system that dumped
heavy rains in the region. Rainfall over the past 48 hours,
however, has exceeded initial national and global forecasts. So,
even with Duke Energy's aggressive preparations, lake levels have
risen sharply and will likely continue to rise, some to historic
levels. This has increased major flooding risks in the
Catawba-Wateree River Basin.
The high-water conditions can also create dangerous conditions
such as floating debris and electrical hazards. Those living along
lakes and rivers should move loose objects away from the shoreline
to prevent additional hazards – and contact local law enforcement
to report dangerous situations involving floating debris.
Duke Energy encourages communities along the Catawba-Wateree
River Basin to use caution, stay informed and pay close attention
to changing streamflow conditions. In addition, the company advises
residents to follow the directions of state and county emergency
management and watch for emergency notification messages on their
mobile phones.
Company representatives are actively collaborating with local
emergency management officials to ensure they are informed of any
changes in water levels. Local authorities will notify residents
should evacuations, road closures or electrical disconnects be
necessary.
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 (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150
company headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies.
The company's electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in
North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky, and collectively own
54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities
serve 1.7 million customers in North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.
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
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SOURCE Duke Energy