Duke Energy Florida is here to help customers impacted by Hurricane Helene

Rhea-AI Summary

Duke Energy Florida (DUK) is assisting customers affected by Hurricane Helene, offering resources and information to support recovery. The company continues power restoration in hard-hit areas, including Pinellas County's barrier islands, with estimated restoration times of 11:59 p.m. on October 4 for most and October 5 for some. Duke Energy has mobilized customer care units in severely impacted locations to provide on-site assistance.

The company advises customers with property damage to contact them for safety assessments and outlines steps for rebuilding power connections. Duke Energy Florida also warns customers about post-storm scams and offers information on bill payment assistance programs. Customers can use the Outage Map and Outage Alerts for individual restoration estimates.

Positive

• Proactive customer support through mobilized care units in affected areas
• On-track power restoration efforts with clear estimated completion times
• Provision of resources and information to aid customer recovery process

Negative

• Extensive power outages due to Hurricane Helene affecting numerous customers
• Potential for scams and fraud targeting customers in the aftermath of the storm

• The company continues with power restoration in hardest hit areas, including Pinellas County's barrier islands

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Florida is here to help customers impacted by Hurricane Helene, offering a variety of resources and information in order to support the recovery process.

The company also continues with power restoration in areas hardest hit by the storm, including Pinellas County's barrier islands. Established estimated times of restoration – 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4 for most and 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5 for some – are still on track to be met. Customers can visit dukeenergyupdates.com/BarrierIslands for updates. 

"We will continue to be easily accessible and maintain an open line of communication with our customers even after their power is restored," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "After such extensive destruction, many communities face a lengthy and trying recovery process, but we are here to help and will be with them every step of the way."

Duke Energy Florida has mobilized customer care units in severely impacted areas. Company representatives will be onsite to answer questions and provide account assistance. They will be available in the following locations today, Thursday, Oct. 3 and tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 4:

Madeira Beach City Hall

• 300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708
• 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET

Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber

• 6990 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
• 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET

Sheraton Sand Key Resort

• 1160 Gulf Boulevard, Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
• 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET

Daystar Life Center of Citrus County

• 6751 W. Gulf to Lake Highway, Crystal River, FL 34429
• 9 a.m.-2 p.m. ET

Customers who have damage to the electrical service that serves their homes or businesses should contact Duke Energy Florida. An onsite visit will be conducted to determine if there is a need to de-energize the property for safety. The customer will then need to contact a licensed electrician to make repairs, followed by the local municipality to schedule an inspection. After the inspection is complete, the customer must contact Duke Energy Florida to request restoration of service.

Customers who need power to rebuild their homes or businesses should contact their local municipality to relay their intent and obtain a 911 address for the property. Then, the customer will need to request that Duke Energy Florida establish electric service on a temporary pole on the property. After an electrician installs a temporary service pole and meter base, the customer must apply to the city or county for an electrical inspection and ensure the municipality sends the inspection to Duke Energy Florida to have electric service connected.

Additionally, Duke Energy Florida reminds customers to be vigilant, stay informed and guard their personal information, as scams and fraud are rampant after storms. The company will never threaten immediate disconnection, demand payment information over the phone or ask customers to get a "Green Dot" or prepaid credit card. For more information and helpful tips, please click here. 

Customers who need assistance paying their utility bills can learn more about programs that may be available to help by visiting duke-energy.com/HereToHelp or calling 800.700.8744.

For individual estimated times of restoration, customers can use Duke Energy's Outage Map and/or enroll in Outage Alerts.

Duke Energy Florida 
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.  

Duke Energy 
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. 

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.  

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition. 

Contact: Ana Gibbs
24-Hour: 800.559.3853 

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SOURCE Duke Energy

FAQ

When will Duke Energy Florida (DUK) restore power to areas affected by Hurricane Helene?

Duke Energy Florida aims to restore power by 11:59 p.m. on October 4 for most affected areas, and by 11:59 p.m. on October 5 for some areas, particularly in Pinellas County's barrier islands.

How is Duke Energy Florida (DUK) helping customers impacted by Hurricane Helene?

Duke Energy Florida has mobilized customer care units in severely impacted areas, offering on-site assistance, account help, and resources to support the recovery process. They're also providing information on power restoration and safety measures.

What should Duke Energy Florida (DUK) customers do if their property has electrical damage from Hurricane Helene?

Customers with property damage should contact Duke Energy Florida for a safety assessment. They may need to hire a licensed electrician for repairs, get a municipal inspection, and then contact Duke Energy to request service restoration.

How can Duke Energy Florida (DUK) customers get updates on power restoration after Hurricane Helene?

Customers can visit dukeenergyupdates.com/BarrierIslands for updates, use Duke Energy's Outage Map, or enroll in Outage Alerts for individual estimated times of restoration.