ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida's west coast, Duke Energy Florida is urging its customers to prepare for this catastrophic storm and a lengthy power restoration process that will result in extended outages.

The company is readying 16,000 resources to respond to over 1 million power outages across its service territory as soon as weather and other conditions allow. These crews are convening at The Villages, Suwannee Valley Farmers Market and Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers, staging sites that are positioned along the outside of Hurricane Milton's projected path, but as close to the impacted areas as possible. (Click here for video footage from the staging sites.)

"Duke Energy Florida asks that our customers prepare now – before it's too late – for exceptionally high storm surge, strong winds and heavy rainfall that will cause extensive damage, not only to their homes and businesses, but to our equipment and infrastructure as well," said Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director. "While our crews are ready to begin the power restoration process as soon as it's safe, we want to manage our customers' expectations and ensure they are planning for extended outages."

Before Hurricane Milton hits, customers should contact Duke Energy Florida to make sure their information is up to date and their communication preferences are noted.

Customers are also advised to practice the safety protocols below during the storm:

• Follow the guidance and instructions of your state and local emergency management officials.
• In case of strong winds, stay away from windows and doors, even if they are covered. Seek shelter in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest floor.
• If rising water threatens your home – or if you evacuate your home – turn off your power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box.
• Disconnect or turn off any nonessential electrical equipment that may start automatically when power is restored to avoid overloading circuits.
• Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands, or while standing on a wet or damp surface.
• Do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
• Do not open freezers or refrigerators more than necessary. Opening these appliances will allow food to thaw quicker. For more information, see the FDA's food safety guidelines.

Customers who experience an outage during a storm can report it the following ways:

• Visiting duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device;
• Using the Duke Energy mobile app (download from a smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play);
• Texting OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply); or
• Calling the automated outage reporting system at 800.228.8485.

The most up-to-date information about power outages can be accessed on Duke Energy's Outage Map or by enrolling 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