ST.
PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 30,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As of 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, Duke Energy
Florida restored power for 95% of customers across the state,
meaning those who were able to receive power were restored within
72 hours of Hurricane Helene's Category 4 landfall. Crews will
continue with restoration efforts in the areas hardest hit by the
storm.
"We understand power is an essential service, and that's why our
crews have been working tirelessly to get the lights back on for
our customers as quickly and safely as possible," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state
president. "It may take longer for customers who suffered extensive
damage, but in the meantime, we will be on the ground and regularly
communicating updates, helping ensure they can plan accordingly and
ultimately get back on their feet."
The barrier islands of Pinellas
County, in particular, experienced significant impacts from
historic storm surge. While some homes and businesses may be unsafe
to energize, areas that can receive power will continue to be
restored. Additionally, a mobile command center has been deployed
to Madeira Beach to begin the
process of replacing equipment, rebuilding parts of the electric
grid and repairing sections that remain structurally
sound.
The company will continue keeping customers informed about
adjusted estimated times for restoration and provide periodic
updates on progress. Texts and email updates are being sent to
residents as well, so customers should update their phone numbers
and email addresses to ensure they receive this information.
A dedicated webpage will also be established to provide the
latest information on the Pinellas
County barrier islands. The most up-to-date information
about restoration efforts 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