CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More than
10,000 people are working to restore power Wednesday to Duke Energy
customers in the Carolinas in the aftermath of Hurricane
Matthew.
About 115,000 customers remain without power – 65,000 in
North Carolina and 50,000 in
South Carolina. Extreme flooding
in certain counties has hindered restoration.
"Until flood waters recede, we are unable to restore power to
some areas," said Bobby Simpson, who
is overseeing Duke Energy's restoration efforts. "Our focus is to
continue to restore power in areas where we can access and work
safely – and in communities where customers are in a position to
receive electricity."
Simpson added extreme flooding will continue to hamper
restoration in:
North Carolina – Areas
surrounding Clinton, Goldsboro, Kinston and Lumberton
South Carolina – Areas
surrounding Florence, Hartsville and Marion
More than one million customers in the Carolinas lost power as a
result of Hurricane Matthew. At its peak, 680,000 Duke Energy
customers were without power on Sunday morning Oct. 9.
The number of customers affected could continue to grow as
specific rivers crest, potentially damaging more electrical
equipment and causing additional outages.
In terms of outages, Hurricane Matthew is the fifth worst storm
to hit the combined Duke Energy / Duke Energy Progress service area
–with damage similar in scale to past storms like Hurricane Floyd
in 1999 and Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Duke Energy has posted estimated times of restoration on its
website. Customers should understand those restoration times
reflect the latest time a customer's power could be restored.
However, as crews assess specific areas, these times may be
improved. Customers can view the latest updates about specific
outages by zooming in on their locations on the map.
Once crews restore power to a trouble spot, the company's
systems indicate all power provided by that device is on. We are
using calls and text messages to gather information to determine
remaining outages down the line. If you receive a call or text, it
means we are actively working in your area. Please respond if you
are still without power. This will assist us in restoring your
power as quickly as possible.
Sometimes, repair work will require us to de-energize portions
of the energy grid to allow crews to work safely. This could result
in repeat, but brief, power outages to customers.
Duke Energy's customer service centers have supplemented their
ranks to assist customers who call to report outages and
emergencies.
Customers can report outages and electrical emergencies, such as
downed lines and poles, by calling Duke Energy's automated
outage-reporting system for their specific service area:
- Duke Energy Carolinas – 800.769.3766
- Duke Energy Progress – 800.419.6356
Customers can text OUT to 57801 to report an outage from their
mobile phone. Be sure to use the mobile phone associated with the
customer's account.
Meter-box damage
Customers who have damaged meter boxes will need to get them
repaired and inspected to avoid delays in restoration. Here's a
video explaining meter-box damage.
If a customer's meter box is pulled away from the house and the
house is without power, the homeowner is responsible for contacting
an electrician for a permanent fix. An electrical inspection may be
required before the company can reconnect service.
If the meter box is pulled away from the house and the house
still has power, the customer should call an electrician to
re-attach the meter box.
If your residence or business is flooded, a local building
inspector may need to inspect the structure before power can be
reconnected.
Safety
Duke Energy urges everyone to be safe during this challenging
time. Please follow these important tips:
- Do not attempt to reconnect your own power. That work is
hazardous and should be completed by trained and qualified
professionals.
- Our employees are trained to be vigilant and constantly aware
of their surroundings.
- If, at any time, our crews believe they are in an unsafe
situation, they will postpone the work until the area is safe and
secure.
- Anyone encountering electrical equipment after a storm, whether
it is a downed power line, a substation or a solar site, should
take extreme caution and assume that the equipment is energized --
especially do not go near electrical equipment when it is immersed
in standing water.
- Power lines can be hidden by debris and standing water so
please be extremely careful moving around in damaged areas.
- "Move Over and Slow Down" Law: The "move over" law requires
drivers to move over one lane when two or more lanes are available
in each direction to make way for emergency responders, tow trucks,
DOT incident management assistance patrols and roadside work crews,
such as utility crews. On roads with only one traffic lane in each
direction, drivers must slow down and be prepared to stop.
Violators could face fines.
Stay Connected -- Duke Energy offers a number of ways for
customers to get information about outages and restoration
efforts.
- Online -- www.duke-energy.com/matthew. Customers can
access outage maps and other information online from a computer or
mobile device. Once on the map, customers can zoom in to their
specific location and hover over the outage indicator nearest their
home. A message box will appear showing total customers affected,
status and an estimated time of restoration, if available.
- Facebook -- www.facebook.com/dukeenergy
- Twitter – https://twitter.com/DukeEnergy
About Duke Energy
Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power holding companies
in the United States, supplies and
delivers electricity to approximately 7.4 million customers in the
Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately
24 million people. The company also distributes natural gas to more
than 1.5 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its commercial and international
businesses operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing renewable
energy portfolio.
Headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index company
traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More
information about the company is available at
duke-energy.com.
The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for
journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and
videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online
destination for stories about remarkable people, innovations, and
community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into
the past and insights into the future of energy.
Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and
Facebook.
Media Line (24-hour): 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy