CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy
crews have restored power to more than 380,000 of the nearly
461,000 customers impacted by a powerful two-day storm that
included tornadoes, heavy winds and record rainfall across the
Carolinas.
A total of 49,000 customers – 37,000 in North Carolina and 12,000 in South Carolina – remained without power as of
5:30 p.m. today.
The latest outage numbers can be found here on the
company's outage map.
More than 4,600 Duke Energy workers and contractors are making
repairs across a wide area of the two-state region.
Due to the severity of damage to Duke Energy's utility poles and
power lines – mostly caused by wind-driven downed trees – power
restoration work in the hardest-hit areas is expected to continue
through the weekend.
Estimated power restoration times are available on the company's
outage map as those estimates become available. County-level
restoration times represent the latest times customers can expect
to have power restored. Zooming in on a specific location will
provide specific power restoration information, as available.
Crews are replacing more than 400 damaged utility poles, as well
as damaged power lines and transformers throughout the region.
In Kings Mountain, N.C.,
powerful winds toppled four large power transmission towers –
video link. More than 150 workers today began replacing the
heavily damaged steel structures.
North Carolina's hardest-hit
counties include Durham,
Franklin, Mecklenburg, Orange, and Wake. South
Carolina's hardest-hit counties include Anderson and Spartanburg.
"We greatly appreciate our customers' patience as our crews work
as quickly as possible to safely restore power," said Jason Hollifield, Duke Energy's incident
commander for the Carolinas. "This was an intense and highly
destructive storm that coupled strong, fast-moving winds with heavy
rainfall."
Both Charlotte and Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C., set all-time February
records for most rainfall in a 24-hour period: 3.16 inches in
Charlotte and 5.36 inches in
Greenville-Spartanburg.
Drivers urged to use caution near repair crews
North Carolina and South Carolina laws require drivers to slow
down and move their vehicles over as far as safely possible when
approaching and passing roadside utility crews making power line
repairs.
The laws also apply when drivers approach and pass roadside
ambulances and other emergency responders. Violators could face
fines.
Safety reminders, power line dangers
Duke Energy also urges customers to focus on general safety –
duke-energy.com/safety-and-preparedness/storm-safety
- Stay away from fallen or sagging power lines – and also keep
children and pets away from power lines.
- Consider all power lines – as well as trees, limbs or anything
in contact with power lines – energized and dangerous.
- Beware of storm debris that might conceal fallen or sagging
power lines.
- Report all power line hazards using the following phone
numbers:
-
- 800.769.3766 for Duke Energy Carolinas customers.
- 800.419.6356 for Duke Energy Progress customers.
- Click here for a video demonstration and to read more about
safety around power lines.
For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on
Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C. It employs 30,000 people and
has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its
regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated
Duke Energy Renewables unit.
More information about the company is available at
duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news
releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke
Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations,
community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on
Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Media contact: 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy