Duke Energy continues to monitor Hurricane Dorian; encourages Carolinas customers to prepare

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As Hurricane Dorian nears the U.S. coast, Duke Energy is closely monitoring the storm and its projected path for potential impacts to North Carolina and South Carolina.

The company is preparing for the storm and encourages customers to do the same.

"The forecasted storm track and intensity will likely change between now and the time it potentially affects the Carolinas, so customers should continue to monitor the path of the storm over the holiday weekend and consider their plans if impacts to the Carolinas become more apparent," said Duke Energy lead meteorologist Steve Leyton. "Duke Energy crews are ready to respond if outages occur."

Important reminders

Customers should stay tuned to local news for the latest advisories from the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center, as well as state and local emergency management officials.

For a hurricane kit checklist and important safety information, visit www.ready.gov. In addition, tips on what to do before, during and after a storm can be found at duke-energy.com/safety-and-preparedness/storm-safety. A checklist serves as a helpful guide, but it's critical before, during and after a storm to follow the instructions and warnings of emergency management officials in your area.

Outage reporting

Before the storm hits, customers should note how to report power outages. Customers who experience an outage during the storm can report it by:

• Visiting duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device
• Texting OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply)
• Calling the automated outage-reporting system at 800-769-3766 for Duke Energy Carolinas customers and 800-419-6356 for Duke Energy Progress customers.

For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2019 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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SOURCE Duke Energy