Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Wednesday, March 1, 2017
(UNDATED) - More than 15,000 Duke Energy customers in Indiana remain without electric service following powerful storms late Tuesday night and this morning. This is down from a high of nearly 31,000 customer outages at 9:15 a.m. today.
"Our crews are working to remove downed trees, replace broken power poles, restring power lines and restore power," said Howard Fowler, Duke Energy's storm director. "We've made significant progress, and we appreciate our customers' patience and support as we continue to work as quickly and safely as possible."
Crews responding to widespread outages
Jackson, Jefferson and Clark counties in Indiana were among the hardest hit. Other areas that suffered significant outages included Lawrence, Orange, Hamilton and Gibson counties. The infrastructure damage, including multiple broken poles and equipment, will involve some lengthy repair work. In some areas, winds gusted between 70-80 mph.
"Ongoing wind gusts exceeding 35 mph are hampering restoration efforts in some areas, as high winds make it unsafe for our line technicians to extend the buckets on their service trucks," said Fowler.
Restoration estimates are as follows:
Outage reporting and status updates
Customers who are without power should report their outage by:
These resources also provide estimated restoration times, when available. The mobile website's outage map displays all outages in the region.
Safety first
Duke Energy reminds customers to stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all power lines energized, as well as trees or limbs in contact with power lines. Please report downed power lines to Duke Energy.
If a power line falls across a car you're in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.
Customers should be prepared
Customers should be prepared for the potential of an extended outage. Duke Energy urges customers to:
About Duke Energy Indiana
Duke Energy Indiana's operations provide about 6,800 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 820,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it the state's largest electric supplier.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company's Gas Utilities and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the United States.
The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online destination for stories about people, innovations, and community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and insights into the future of energy.
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