Duke Energy has restored electricity to more than 131,000 customers in the Carolinas following Winter Storm Fern, according to an update from the company. As of 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26, nearly 22,000 customers remained without power.
The majority of outages are expected to be resolved by the end of Monday, but some areas hit hardest by the storm may not see service restored until Tuesday due to difficult road conditions and extensive equipment damage. “Our crews are on track to restore most outages by tonight. We’re seeing isolated pockets of more extensive equipment damage along the Blue Ridge Escarpment – in places like Hendersonville, Travelers Rest and Clemson – so some customers in those areas may not have service restored until Tuesday,” said Rick Canavan, Duke Energy storm director.
Canavan also warned customers about a text message scam that is circulating and targeting utility customers: “It mentions rolling outages and includes a link. That message did not come from Duke Energy; please avoid clicking the link.” He added, “Thank you for your patience and cooperation as crews continue their work.”
As cold weather continues across the region, Duke Energy advised customers with power to take steps to reduce energy use and manage bills. The company recommended setting thermostats at the lowest comfortable setting, checking air filters regularly, using natural sunlight during daytime hours by opening blinds or curtains, closing them at night to retain heat, and running ceiling fans clockwise to help circulate warm air throughout rooms. Additional tips can be found at duke-energy.com/WinterEnergySavings.
Duke Energy serves approximately 4.7 million electric customers in North Carolina and South Carolina combined—about 3.8 million in North Carolina and nearly 860,000 in South Carolina—and operates across several other states as well.
The company stated it is investing heavily in upgrading its electric grid infrastructure and increasing cleaner energy generation sources such as natural gas, nuclear power, renewables, and energy storage technologies.
More information about Duke Energy’s operations can be found at duke-energy.com or through its social media channels.
