ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As forecasts increasingly predict Hurricane Dorian will impact Florida, Duke Energy is preparing for the storm and urges customers to do the same.
Hurricane Dorian is forecast to be a Category 4 at landfall with strong winds, heavy rainfall and flooding in portions of Duke Energy's Florida service area.
The company expects damage to its infrastructure that may result in extended power outages.
The storm continues to strengthen as it moves closer to Florida. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in advance of the hurricane.
"Hurricane Dorian is intensifying and poses a significant threat to east central Florida," said Duke Energy Florida storm director Jason Cutliffe. "We join state officials in asking everyone to take this storm seriously and prepare now. We also ask our customers for their patience. With a Category 4 hurricane, power may take several days to restore."
Duke Energy has a detailed storm response plan in place.
In advance of the hurricane, Duke Energy will move repair crews and resources so they are staged and ready to help restore power as soon as it is safe to do so.
In addition, line technicians and workers are checking equipment, supplies and inventories to ensure adequate materials are available to make repairs and restore power.
Restoring power after a storm can be extremely challenging for utility repair crews, as travel and work conditions can be impacted by high winds and widespread flooding ? making repair work lengthy and difficult.
As part of power restoration, crews first must assess the extent of damage ? which can take 24 hours or more ? to determine which crews, equipment and supplies will be needed before repairs can begin.
Important reminders
The following tips can help you and your family stay safe if the power goes out:
Customers should stay tuned to local news for the latest advisories from the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center (NHC), as well as state and local emergency management officials.
For a hurricane kit checklist and important safety information, visit www.ready.gov. In addition, tips on what to do before, during and after a storm can be found at duke-energy.com/safety-and-preparedness/storm-safety. A checklist serves as a helpful guide, but it's critical before, during and after a storm to follow the instructions and warnings of emergency management officials in your area.
Click here for a video demonstration and to read more about safety around power lines.
Outage reporting
Before the storm hits, customers should note how to report power outages. Customers who experience an outage during the storm can report it by:
For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).
High-water safety reminders
Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns a diverse generation mix of natural gas, coal and renewables, providing about 10,200 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.8 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. 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.
Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states ? North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states ? North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2019 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. 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.
Contact: Ana Gibbs
Office: 813.928.7263 | 24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_AnaGibbs
SOURCE Duke Energy
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