- Follow warnings and instructions of emergency management
officials
- Widespread damage from high winds and heavy rainfall may cause
power outages
- Crews will begin power restoration as soon as conditions are
safe to do so
ST.
PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 4, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Florida is urging customers to follow
the warnings and instructions of emergency management officials and
take necessary precautions as Tropical Storm Debby approaches
Florida, bringing high winds and
heavy rainfall that may cause power outages.
"Safety guides everything we do at Duke Energy, but it's
especially important during storms like Tropical Storm Debby," said
Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida
storm director. "Our crews stand ready to get the lights back on as
soon as conditions allow, and in the meantime, we thank our
customers for their continued preparation and vigilance."
Restoring power after a storm can be extremely challenging for
repair crews, as travel and work conditions can be impacted by high
winds and potential flooding – making repair work lengthy and
difficult in some areas.
Customers are advised to practice the safety protocols
below:
- Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwaters.
- 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.
- 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.
- Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging.
Consider all lines energized as well as trees or limbs in contact
with lines. Report all power line hazards to Duke Energy at
800.228.8485 or contact your local emergency services department or
agency.
- If a power line falls across a car that you're 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.
- Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from
downed power lines and electrical wires. Don't drive over – and
don't stand near – downed power lines. 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.
Customers should also implement the following safety measures if
they experience a power outage:
- A generator can be very useful during a power outage but
remember to always follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure
safe and proper operation. 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.
- Disconnect or turn off any nonessential electrical equipment
that may start automatically when power is restored to avoid
overloading circuits.
- Do not open freezers or refrigerators more than necessary.
Opening these appliances will allow food to thaw quicker. For more
information, see the FDA's food safety guidelines.
- Do not use grills or other outdoor appliances or equipment
indoors for space heating or cooking, as these devices may emit
carbon monoxide.
- If you lose power, text OUT to 57801, report online or through
the mobile app, or call 800.228.8485.
Customers can receive the most up-to-date information about
restoration efforts by:
- Signing up online for phone & email alerts or text REG
to 57801 for text alerts
- Bookmarking our outage map
- Downloading the mobile app for updates
Additionally, customers are encouraged to download the enhanced
American Red
Cross Emergency app for weather safety. The latest
version of the app, sponsored by the Duke Energy Foundation, is
free, is available in both English and Spanish and offers a variety
of features including emergency checklists, interactive maps of
open shelters and the ability to monitor multiple locations for
weather 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 Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook,
and visit illumination for stories about the people and
innovations powering our energy transition.
Contact: Audrey Stasko
Media line: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_AudreyS
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SOURCE Duke Energy