Hurricane Michael is expected to make landfall on Wednesday in Northwest Florida as a category 3 storm with 120 mph winds. The governor has issued a state of emergency, and the storm could affect the state’s entire gulf coast.
Customers who experience an outage during the storm can report it by:
- Visiting dukeenergyupdates.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.
- Texting OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).
- Calling the automated outage-reporting system:
- Duke Energy Florida: 800.228.8485
- Duke Energy Carolinas: 800.769.3766
- Duke Energy Progress: 800.419.6356
“Hurricane Michael is intensifying and poses a significant threat to the Florida Panhandle and will affect west central Florida,” said Duke Energy senior meteorologist Max Thompson. “Some of our most populated service areas, such as Pinellas and Pasco counties, might experience tropical storm-force winds and experience outages. We join state officials in asking everyone to take this storm seriously.”
The storm is projected to move into the Carolinas on Thursday, and Duke Energy is closely monitoring the storm and preparing for expected widespread damage and power outages. The company is also adjusting operations at its hydro plants to accomodate for the forecasted rain. Crews are staged to restore power as soon as it is safe to do so, and they are checking supplies to be sure materials are available to make repairs.
For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).
As you prepare, remember the following:
- Customers should stay tuned to local news for the latest advisories from the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center, as well as state and local emergency management officials.
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Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines. If a power line falls across a car that you're in, stay in the car. If you must get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground. Click here for a video demonstration and to read more about safety around power lines. Report all power line hazards to:
- Duke Energy Florida: 800.228.8485
- Duke Energy Carolinas: 800.769.3766
- Duke Energy Progress: 800.419.6356
- 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 www.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.