Duke Energy strengthens the grid, increases resiliency ahead of the 2024 hurricane season
Duke Energy Florida is enhancing its grid's resilience ahead of the 2024 hurricane season. The company has implemented smart, self-healing technologies serving over 70% of its customers. NOAA forecasts an active hurricane season, with 17-25 named storms and an expected 30% increase in activity. Duke Energy's Storm Protection Plan involves upgrading poles and wires, undergrounding lines, and tree trimming to boost reliability. The company has optimized eight substations and aims to complete 38 more. In 2023, reliability performance was the best in a decade, reducing average outage length by 27% between 2018-2023. Customers are encouraged to prepare emergency kits and plans for outages.
- Enhanced grid resiliency with smart, self-healing technologies.
- Over 70% of customers benefit from automated restoration.
- Significant improvements in infrastructure, including thousands of upgraded poles and underground lines.
- Completion of 4,000 miles of tree trimming and 600 miles of planned work on transmission lines.
- Optimization of eight substations with 38 more in progress.
- Best reliability performance in over a decade in 2023.
- 27% reduction in average outage length from 2018 to 2023.
- Increased hurricane activity forecasted by 30% compared to last year.
- Potential for higher operational costs due to extensive infrastructure upgrades.
- Possible disruption and longer outage periods during extreme weather events.
- Substantial investment required for ongoing infrastructure improvements.
Insights
The latest initiatives by Duke Energy Florida to enhance grid resiliency and install smart technologies provide critical insights into the company's commitment to mitigating risks associated with natural disasters. Self-healing technologies and underground cabling are essential upgrades that could significantly reduce outage durations, thus enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
These advancements are especially important given NOAA's forecast of an above-normal hurricane season. The deployment of these technologies not only positions Duke Energy Florida to better withstand frequent and severe weather disruptions but also indicates a proactive approach to grid modernization.
Financially, the investments in infrastructure upgrades and storm protection plans can be seen as forward-looking expenses, potentially resulting in lower operational costs and increased grid reliability over time. By proactively reducing the duration and impact of outages, Duke Energy can manage repair costs more effectively and maintain steady revenue streams during storm seasons.
From a long-term perspective, this initiative strengthens Duke Energy's strategic position in the market, emphasizing its role in enhancing energy reliability amid climate challenges. However, the immediate financial burden of these comprehensive upgrades may affect short-term profitability, a factor investors should monitor closely.
Duke Energy Florida's enhancement of its power grid with smart, self-healing technologies and extensive underground cabling exemplifies a strong commitment to reducing storm-related disruptions. More than
For investors, these developments are encouraging, as they not only indicate a reduction in outage durations but also improve customer satisfaction and retention rates. Enhanced reliability can lead to a more robust and stable revenue base, especially during hurricane seasons when outages are prevalent.
However, while these infrastructure investments are forward-thinking and beneficial in the long run, they do require considerable capital outlay. Investors should be aware that such expenditures may impact Duke Energy's short-term financial metrics, such as profit margins and cash flows. Nevertheless, these investments are likely to yield positive returns by reducing long-term operational disruptions and enhancing grid resilience.
- More than
70% of Duke Energy Florida customers now benefit from smart, self-healing technologies - Duke Energy Florida encourages customers to have a plan in place
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts an above-normal hurricane season with 17 to 25 named storms this season, including 8 to 13 hurricanes, and 4 to 7 of those becoming major hurricanes. This year's forecast predicts around
The company has a comprehensive and flexible storm response plan, built upon decades of experience and improvement. Advanced forecasting and damage modeling processes help the company to place crews, support resources and equipment strategically ahead of a storm to respond quickly as outages occur.
Duke Energy Florida maintains an electric army of nearly 4,000 employees and contractors ready to respond to outages when storms strike. And alliances with peer utilities provide additional resources to shorten response times and get communities back on their feet faster.
Building a stronger, more resilient power grid
Thanks to its Storm Protection Plan and the company's year-round infrastructure work, Duke Energy Florida is making improvements and upgrades to its systems and lines to support the rapid growth of our
Some of these improvements include upgrading thousands of poles and wires to increase reliability and better withstand storms, strategically placing outage-prone lines underground in some areas, managing trees and vegetation, and installing smart, self-healing technology that can automatically detect power outages and quickly restore power when an outage occurs.
- During hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Idalia, self-heling technology helped save more than 200 million outage minutes for Duke Energy Florida customers. More than
70% of Duke Energy Florida customers benefit from self-healing and automated restoration technologies. - The company plans to install hundreds of miles of underground cable in areas that are identified as the most outage-prone lines. Approximately
48% of Duke Energy Florida's primary power lines are underground and better protected from wind damage. - Teams have completed more than 4,000 miles of maintenance trimming on Duke Energy Florida's distribution lines and 600 miles of planned work on the transmission side.
- Over the past three year, more than 40,000 poles have been hardened through the Storm Protection Plan.
- Additionally, the company is expanding capacity of the electric grid by building new substations, expanding existing substations and installing new or larger circuits to provide reliable service in the growing state. Duke Energy has completed optimization of eight substations, with another 38 in flight in
Florida .
These investments are already benefitting
Personal preparedness is key to a more resilient home or business
Duke Energy Florida encourages its customers to prepare for potential hurricanes and other severe storms and to have a plan to increase their personal resiliency following a major storm. Below are some recommended safety tips:
Before the storm
- 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, water, nonperishable foods and other supplies that might be hard to find after a storm hits. Visit Ready.gov for more helpful tips as you develop your emergency plan.
- Have a plan in place to move family members – especially those with special needs – to a safe, alternate location if an extended power outage occurs.
- Charge cellphones, computers and other electronic devices in advance of storms to stay connected to important safety and response information. And make sure all portable chargers are fully charged. Consider purchasing a portable radio to monitor weather and get updates.
- Download the Red Cross Emergency app to stay connected to tips ahead of the storm and response activities as communities recover.
During the storm
- If an outage occurs, disconnect or turn off any nonessential electrical equipment that may start automatically when power is restored to avoid overloading circuits.
- Do not open freezers or refrigerators more than necessary. Opening can cause food to thaw more quickly.
After the storm
- Stay away from downed power lines and areas that may be hiding lines, such as floodwater and debris. Consider all lines energized, as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines. Report downed lines to Duke Energy.
- Only operate generators outside and follow manufacturer's instructions.
- If a power line falls across a car that you are in, stay in the car. If you must get out of the car due to a fire or another 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 touches the car when your feet touch the ground.
- If you must travel right after a storm, never drive across downed power lines and always move over or slow down when passing utility crews working along the side of the road.
For more tips on how to prepare for storm season and how Duke Energy can help, please visit duke-energy.com/StormTips. For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).
Outage reporting
Customers who experience an outage during a storm can report it the following ways:
- Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).
- Use the Duke Energy mobile app – Download the Duke Energy App from a smartphone via the Apple Store or Google Play.
- Visit duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.
- Call 800.228.8485.
- Customers can find more at duke-energy.com/storm.
Customer service specialists also will be available to manage customer calls should the need arise, with more than 1,500 additional corporate responders from across all Duke Energy jurisdictions available to assist as needed.
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
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in
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 Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.
Contact: Audrey Stasko
Media line: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_AudreyS
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duke-energy-strengthens-the-grid-increases-resiliency-ahead-of-the-2024-hurricane-season-302164271.html
SOURCE Duke Energy
FAQ
What improvements has Duke Energy Florida made to the grid ahead of the 2024 hurricane season?
What percentage of Duke Energy Florida customers benefit from self-healing technologies?
How many named storms and hurricanes are forecasted for the 2024 season?
What has been the impact of smart technologies during past hurricanes?
What steps is Duke Energy Florida taking to improve storm response times?
How has Duke Energy Florida's reliability performance changed in recent years?
What measures should Duke Energy Florida customers take to prepare for hurricanes?
