ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Florida is reporting approximately 850,000 power outages, as of 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, after Hurricane Milton hit Florida as a Category 3 storm overnight. As customers can safely return home, the company expects outage numbers to continue to increase. Duke Energy Florida is conducting damage assessment as weather and road conditions allow and will soon begin what is anticipated to be a lengthy restoration process.  

"Hurricane Milton barreled through our state with a devastating intensity, leaving behind a trail of destruction that we, and many Floridians, can't yet fully comprehend," said Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director. "Our crews will continue to assess the damage to our infrastructure and equipment, which is a critical first step in the overall power restoration process. As with any storm of this magnitude, we encourage our customers to prepare for extended outages, and we thank them for their patience."

Duke Energy Florida 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 restore the greatest number of customers as safely and as soon as possible.

The company also reminds customers of the following safety tips:

• Consider all power lines – and trees, limbs or anything in contact with power lines – energized and dangerous.
• Stay away from downed power lines and areas that may be hiding lines, such as floodwater and debris.
• 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.

Power outages can be reported in the following 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.

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. 

Contact: Ana Gibbs

24-Hour: 800.559.3853 

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SOURCE Duke Energy