Duke Energy restores thousands of customers after substation vandalism in N.C.

Rhea-AI Summary

Duke Energy has successfully restored power to nearly 7,000 customers following the attack on substations in Moore County, NC. As of now, 38,000 customers remain without power, down from an initial 45,000. The company is working to restore services swiftly, though some areas face extended outages until December 8. Duke Energy's General Manager stated that extensive damage requires the replacement of significant equipment. The company is collaborating with various agencies to investigate the incident.

Positive

• Restored power to nearly 7,000 customers after recent substation attacks.
• Continues to work diligently on restoring power despite significant damage.

Negative

• Approximately 38,000 customers still without power.
• Damage in some areas is beyond repair, requiring replacement of large equipment.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy crews have restored power to nearly 7,000 customers since Sunday night when substations in Moore County were attacked.

Today, approximately 38,000 customers in the area remain without power – down from 45,000, who were initially affected. Duke Energy will continue to restore service quickly and safely, although many affected customers should prepare for an outage that could extend to Thursday, Dec. 8.

"We are restoring customers where possible, but the damage is beyond repair in some areas. That leaves us with no option but to replace large pieces of equipment – which is not an easy or quick task," said Jason Hollifield, Duke Energy's general manager, Emergency Preparedness. "Duke Energy is committed to getting life back to normal for our customers. We thank them for their patience."

An electric substation plays an important part in getting electricity to customers. It serves to regulate voltage coming from generation sources (like power plants) – lowering it so energy can be delivered to homes and businesses.

Duke Energy is asking customers to turn off appliances and other electrical devices that may have been on when the power went out so there's not an immediate surge on the system when power is restored, which will also protect those devices. Customers affected by outages should consider moving family members – especially those with special needs – to a safe, alternative location due to anticipated time required to fully restore service.

The company continues to work with local, state and federal agencies on their ongoing investigation into this incident.

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear. 

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2022 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "World's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Media Relations 
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SOURCE Duke Energy

FAQ

What caused the power outage in Moore County, NC?

The power outage was caused by vandalism at substations in Moore County.

When can customers expect their power to be restored?

Customers should prepare for outages that could extend until December 8.

How many customers are still without power after the Duke Energy incident?

Approximately 38,000 customers remain without power.

What is Duke Energy doing in response to the substation vandalism?

Duke Energy is working with local, state, and federal agencies on an investigation and restoring power.

What should customers do during the power restoration process?

Customers are advised to turn off appliances to avoid surges when power is restored.