• 7,500 lineworkers, vegetation workers and support personnel strategically positioned
• Power restored to about 190,000 customers as of noon today

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tropical Storm Debby continues to impact the Carolinas, and Duke Energy's 7,500 lineworkers, vegetation workers and other support personnel are either restoring power or strategically positioned to move once conditions are safe to do so.

As of noon today, nearly 300,000 Duke Energy customers in the Carolinas have experienced an outage and crews have restored power to about 190,000 of these customers. Duke Energy serves more than 4.5 million customers in North Carolina and South Carolina.

The company is proactively communicating with customers and community stakeholders and is committed to continuing to keep the public informed about power restoration efforts.  

In addition, the safety of our customers and communities is important. Below are some tips and information on the power restoration process.

After the storm safety

• 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.
• Downed lines will 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.

Power restoration process

Before power can be restored, crews first must assess the extent of damage – which can take 24 hours or more – to determine which crews, equipment and supplies will be needed before repairs can begin. For employee safety, Duke Energy line technicians do not perform elevated work in bucket trucks when winds are above 30 mph. When the storm passes and wind speeds drop below 39 mph making it safe for travel, crews will begin damage assessment and repairs. 

Duke Energy focuses on restoring power in a sequence that enables power restoration to public health and safety facilities and to the greatest number of customers as safely and quickly as possible. Our typical restoration process follows this sequence: 

• Public safety situations – crews locate downed power lines and make sure electricity is no longer flowing through the wires.   
• Transmission, substation equipment and main distribution lines – these serve large numbers of customers and large geographic areas, and must be restored first to keep electricity flowing from power plants to neighborhoods.   
• Essential facilities – emergency service and critical infrastructure such as hospitals, law enforcement, fire departments and water treatment facilities.   
• Distribution lines – we work to get the largest number of customers back on as quickly as possible  

How Duke Energy restores power: www.dukeenergyupdates.com/info/how-duke-energy-restores-power 

High-water reminders

• Individuals who live along lakes and rivers and in flood-prone areas should pay close attention to local media and updated weather forecasts for changes in weather conditions and rising water levels. 
• Real-time lake level information is available at duke-energy.com/lakes, by calling 800.829.5253 and via the Duke Energy Lake View mobile app. 

Electrical safety guidelines for floods

• If rising water threatens your home or business – or if you evacuate due to flooding – turn off your power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box. 
• Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from downed electrical lines.
• Don't drive over – and don't stand near – downed electrical lines. 
• Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands or while standing on a wet or damp surface. 
• 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 necessary repairs and obtain verification from your local building inspection authority before power can be restored.

Reporting an outage

Customers are encouraged to sign up for alerts and know how to report an outage. Receive the most up-to-date information about restoration efforts by enrolling in Outage Alerts. If you lose power, text OUT to 57801, report online or through the mobile app, or call 800.POWERON (800.769.3766).

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 Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

24-Hour Media Line: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy