ST.
PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 27,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As of 5
p.m. ET today, Duke Energy Florida's crews restored power
for over 407,000 customers, while nearly 285,000 continue to
experience outages as a result of the unprecedented destruction
caused by Hurricane Helene.
With 8,000 personnel, and many working through the night, the
company has also established estimated times of restoration for
Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy,
Marion, Pasco, Pinellas and Sumter. Approximately 95% of these customers
are expected to be restored by 11:59 p.m. ET
on Sunday, Sept. 29, and some customers will be restored
earlier.
It is important to note, however, that adverse weather
conditions continue to impede restoration in the impacted areas.
Moreover, customers who experienced extensive damage or flooding
may require additional time for restoration and some should be
prepared for extended outages. Updates will be communicated to
customers as soon as possible.
"Several areas of the state were severely devastated by this
storm, so it's safe to say power restoration is going to be a
multi-day event. Even as flooding recedes, the debris left behind
is also proving to be a significant challenge," said Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm
director. "We appreciate our customers' patience and thank our
emergency management officials and first responders for all their
hard work."
Flood and meter box damage
For customers whose 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
the local building inspection authority before power can be
restored.
If the meter box is pulled away from a customer's house or
mobile home service pole and power is not being received, the
homeowner is responsible for contacting an electrician to reattach
the meter box and/or provide a permanent fix. In some instances, an
electrical inspection may be required by the county before Duke
Energy can reconnect service. An electrician can advise customers
on next steps.
Downed power lines are hazardous
Duke Energy reminds customers and the public to stay away from
downed power lines that have fallen or are sagging, and to consider
all power lines – and trees, limbs or anything in contact with
power lines – energized and dangerous.
If a power line falls across a vehicle 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, try 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.
Customers using generators
If you use a generator at home to provide power until your
service is restored, 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 dangerous for crews making repairs. The
excess electricity created by a generator can feed back onto the
electric lines, severely injuring a line technician who might be
working on a power line, believing it to be de-energized.
Outages can be reported online, through the Duke Energy mobile
app or by calling 800.228.8485.
The most up-to-date information about restoration efforts can be
accessed by enrolling in Outage Alerts.
For more information and resources, please visit
dukeenergyupdates.com/Florida.
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