• The company will issue estimated times of restoration for all customers impacted by the storm this afternoon

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- While damage assessment is ongoing, Duke Energy Florida is now beginning power restoration in many areas impacted by Hurricane Milton and will issue estimated times of restoration for all customers later this afternoon. As of 9 a.m. ET, nearly 350,000 outages have been restored, and over 850,000 outages still exist throughout the company's service territory.

"From downed trees and branches falling on our power lines to storm surge flooding our equipment – which causes almost immediate corrosion – our infrastructure was severely damaged by Hurricane Milton. We're making repairs where we can, but we anticipate we will need to rebuild in many areas," said Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director. "Despite that, our crews are doing all they can, even working through the night, to get the lights back on for as many customers as possible as quickly as possible."

Duke Energy Florida has 16,000 resources supporting power restoration. Crews are staged at base camps in areas hardest hit by the storm:

• Bexley Properties (Land O' Lakes)
• Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport
• Manheim Orlando (Winter Garden)
• Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers
• Sebring Raceway
• Seminole Towne Center
• Tropicana Field
• The Villages

For customers who are using a generator, Duke Energy Florida offers the following safety tips:

• Only operate a generator outside and connect appliances directly to it.
• Do not wire your generator directly to your breaker fuse box, as it could backfeed on power lines.
• 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 those making repairs.
• Have a fully charged, properly rated fire extinguisher (i.e., rated for electrical and gas fires) ready at all times.

Customers can report power outages four different ways:

• Visit duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.
• Use the Duke Energy mobile app (download from a smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play).
• Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).
• Call the automated outage reporting system at 800.228.8485.

Additionally, customers who cannot receive power as a result of damage to the property's meter base, breaker panel or customer-owned electrical wiring should contact their local municipalities for guidance. Inspections may be required after repairs are complete.   

The most up-to-date information about power outages can be accessed on Duke Energy's Outage Map or by enrolling in Outage Alerts.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.  

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. 

Editor's note: Visit the Duke Energy News Center for downloadable B-roll and high-resolution images.

Contact: Ana Gibbs

24-Hour: 800.559.3853 

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SOURCE Duke Energy