ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.,
Sept. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/
-- Duke Energy tonight announced it has restored electricity
to essentially all customers impacted by Hurricane Irma in
Florida, though crews continue
repair work on isolated, scattered power outages.
In many of the company's hardest hit areas, repairs have
included rebuilding the electrical system as a result of
significant damage.
The company has restored more than 1.9 million outages. Crews
will continue working until all remaining isolated outages are
restored.
"Our power restoration work is almost complete. The finish line
is in sight and we will soon have our final few customers' lights
back on," said Harry Sideris, Duke
Energy Florida president. "We thank our customers for their
patience. We also thank the numerous utility companies from across
the nation that provided assistance, as well as emergency
responders and disaster relief organizations that helped restore
our communities after this historic hurricane."
Duke Energy's outage management system, which includes a map of
outages and real-time updates, is now available for customers to
access detailed information and estimated restoration times
for their specific outage.
For an update on current outages, visit
http://duke-energy.com
Reporting power outages
At any time, customers without power can report outages online
at http://duke-energy.com, text OUT to 57801 or call the automated
outage reporting system at 800.228.8485. For the latest outage
information and other company updates, visit
http://news.duke-energy.com/irma.
Billing Assistance
The hurricane forced the company to stop all standard meter
readings, which means some customers will receive estimated bills.
The next month's meter reading will determine a customer's actual
amount owed.
Duke Energy apologizes for any confusion and inconvenience this
might cause.
Late payment fees will not be applied for the next month to give
customers time to recover from the storm.
Customers who have questions or need additional help with their
bill can call 800.700.8744.
Electric meter box damage
Customers with damaged meter equipment may be delayed in
receiving service. If a customer's electric meter box has been
pulled away from the customer's house due to storm damage – and the
customer has no power – the customer is responsible for contacting
an electrician for permanent repairs. In some instances, an
electrical inspection may be required before Duke Energy can
reconnect the customer's service. An electrician can advise
the customer.
If the meter box has been pulled away from the house – but the
customer still has power – the customer should contact an
electrician to reattach the meter box. An electrical inspection may
be required in this situation, as well.
Beware of scams
Customers should be aware of fraudulent misrepresentations that
have been reported to law enforcement and through local media.
Duke Energy will never ask a customer to purchase a prepaid
debit card – or iTunes card – to make a payment.
Customers who suspect or experience fraud – or feel threatened
during contact with a scammer – should contact local authorities,
and then the Duke Energy Florida phone number listed on their bill
(800.700.8744).
Never dial any phone number provided by scammers.
For more information on how to identify a scam, visit
https://www.duke-energy.com/customer-service/report-fraud-and-scams
About Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida owns and operates a diverse generation mix,
including renewables, providing about 8,800 megawatts of owned
electric capacity to approximately 1.8 million customers in a
13,000-square-mile service area.
With its Florida regional
headquarters located in St. Petersburg,
Fla., Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power
holding companies in the United
States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business
unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six
states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company's Gas Utilities
and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to
approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business
unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across
the United States.
Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York
Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the
company is available at http://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 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 Relations
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy