PLAINFIELD, Ind. and CINCINNATI, Ohio — As summer storm season approaches, preparing for severe weather never stops – for Duke Energy or its customers.
“A critical part of being safe in severe weather is being prepared,” said Jim Henning, president, Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky. “We have regular storm planning throughout the year with all of our crews, and we want our customers to be prepared as well so they can react quickly during a storm.”
The company has been focused on maintaining and strengthening its power delivery system, including inspecting and replacing poles and trimming vegetation and trees. The company is also investing in advanced technologies that transform the energy grid into a dynamic system with the ability 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, 15,000 outages were prevented in Indiana and over 2 million customer minutes of interruption were saved.
In southwest Ohio and northern Kentucky, 119,500 outages were prevented and over 20 million customer minutes of interruption were saved in 2016.
Click here for a demonstration video and to read more about safety around downed power lines.
“Duke Energy crews are always prepared to respond to whatever damage summer storms can inflict,” said Melody Birmingham-Byrd, Duke Energy Indiana state president. “We have regular planning sessions and drills to keep our storm response skills sharp, in order to restore power to our customers as safely and quickly as possible.”
Duke Energy and its staff of meteorologists are constantly monitoring weather conditions, preparing to do whatever is necessary to maintain a high level of reliability and to react quickly when the power goes out.
Outage alerts
Customers can proactively sign up to receive alerts and be notified by text or phone when they have an outage. This program also allows customers to receive additional information such as the cause of the outage, an estimated time of restoration, and the number of customers affected. Outage alerts provide customers with real-time information so they can plan accordingly. For more information visit https://www.duke-energy.com/outages/alerts, or text REG to 57801 to register.
Safety tips
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 in advance of a storm to learn what to do in the event of a power outage or emergency. The number in Indiana is 800.343.3525. In Ohio/Kentucky, it’s 800.544.6900.
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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.
For additional 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
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. The number in Indiana is 800.343.3525. In Ohio/Kentucky, call 800.543.5599.
For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).
About Duke Energy
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy 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.
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