- Residents should take appropriate action to be prepared.
- Duke Energy meteorologists continue to monitor the storm; company making preparations.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Duke Energy is preparing for Hurricane Irma and is urging customers to prepare as well. The company's staff of meteorologists are constantly tracking the storm and crews are preparing to safely and quickly respond should the storm impact our service area.
"An important part of being safe during a hurricane is being prepared," said Harry Sideris, Duke Energy Florida president. "At Duke Energy, we prepare for storms every day of the year and we want to help our customers get ready now so they can react quickly during Hurricane Irma."
The following tips can help you and your family stay safe if severe weather strikes and the power goes out:
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Create (or update) an emergency supply kit to save valuable time later. The kit should include everything an individual or family would need for at least two weeks, especially medicines and other supplies that might be hard to find after a storm strikes.
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Maintain a supply of water and non-perishable food.
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Ensure first-aid supplies and medicines are readily available. If electricity is needed to operate medical equipment, contact Duke Energy’s Customer Care Center at 800-700-8744, in advance of a storm to learn what to do in the event of a power outage or emergency.
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Review insurance policies, and include extra copies of the policies and other important documents in the emergency supply kit (ideally in a waterproof container).
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Keep a portable radio or TV, or NOAA weather radio on hand to monitor weather forecasts and official information.
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Maintain a plan to move family members – especially those with special needs – to a safe, alternate location in case an extended power outage occurs or evacuation is required.
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Pet owners can make arrangements to stay at evacuation shelters that accept pets, friends’ or family members’ homes, or pet-friendly hotels.
For a “Hurricane Kit Checklist," important safety tips and more information on what to do before, during and after a storm, visit https://www.duke-energy.com/safety-and-preparedness/storm-safety.
For more tips on general emergency preparedness, visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management at http://www.floridadisaster.org.
Click here for a video demonstration and to read more about safety around power lines.
Outage reporting and status updates
At any time, customers can report power outages by:
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Visiting www.duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device
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Texting OUT to 57801 (Standard text and data charges may apply)
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Calling the automated outage-reporting system at 800.228.8485
For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).
Strengthening the Florida System
The company has spent more than $2.4 billion since 2004 maintaining and strengthening its Florida power delivery system, including inspecting and replacing poles and trimming vegetation and trees. The company is also investing in advanced technologies to transform the energy grid into a dynamic system to automatically detect, isolate and reroute power when a problem occurs. Self-healing systems help reroute customers during outages so interruptions are avoided or limited. In 2016, a total of 164,000 outages were prevented and over 11 million customer minutes of interruption were saved.
Over the last two years, Duke Energy Florida has hosted more than 36 storm preparation sessions and downed power line demonstrations, reaching approximately 2,500 emergency first-responders and customers across its service territory.
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 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.
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Contact: Ana Gibbs
Office: 727.820.4722
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: DE_AnaGibbs