CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As Tropical Storm Hermine nears the Florida coast, Duke Energy is prepared there and planning for potential severe weather impacts in the Carolinas beginning as early as Friday.

Duke Energy and its staff of meteorologists are closely monitoring weather conditions, activating their storm center and making preparations with crews and equipment to respond as quickly as possible should customers in the Carolinas experience any disruptions in their service.

“Tropical storms like Hermine are often challenging to predict precisely and can have significant impacts over a large area in the storm’s path,” said Steve Leyton, lead meteorologist for Duke Energy. “Our team is tracking the storm to ensure we’re ready wherever those impacts might be in the Carolinas, and we encourage our customers to be prepared, too.”

Duke Energy will begin moving additional crews and equipment to the eastern part of North Carolina and South Carolina Friday morning, where highest winds and greatest rainfall are expected.

Be ready

If you haven’t already done your planning for severe weather, do so now. Check your supplies and be sure to have the following items in an easy-to-find location:

· Flashlights with extra batteries

· Portable radio with fresh batteries

· First-aid kit

· Canned or packaged food that can be prepared without cooking or refrigeration

· Several days’ supply of drinking water.

· Portable (and fully charged) cell phone charger

· Prescription medication

Families who have special medical needs or elderly members should closely monitor weather forecasts and make plans for potential alternate arrangements should an extended outage occur.

Charge cell phones in advance of the storm to stay connected to important safety and response information.

Be safe

If severe weather moves through the area, be watchful for downed or sagging power lines. Consider all lines energized as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines. Please report downed power lines to Duke Energy.

If a power line falls across a car that 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 that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUxWaWti7P0

Report an outage

There are three ways for customers to report outages and get the most up-to-date restoration information:

Online – Customers can report an outage online at www.duke-energy.com/outages. They can also access the outage map online from a computer or mobile device. Once on the map, customers can zoom in to their specific location and hover over the outage indicator nearest their home. A message box will appear showing total customers affected, status and an estimated time of restoration, if available: http://outagemap.duke-energy.com

Text message – Customers can text OUT to 57801 to report an outage from their mobile phone. Be sure to use the mobile phone associated with your account. To stay informed of future power outages, sign up to receive power outage alerts from Duke Energy by texting REG to 57801 or choose from text, email or phone alerts by enrolling at duke-energy.com/OutageAlerts.

Phone – Customers can report outages and get up-to-date restoration times by calling the company’s automated outage-reporting system for their specific service area:

· Duke Energy Carolinas – 800-769-3766

· Duke Energy Progress – 800-419-6356

Stay connected

Visit Duke Energy’s storm preparedness website – www.duke-energy.com/storms – for links to outage reporting tools, safety information and tips. There is also an interactive outage map where customers can find up-to-date information on power outages, including the total number of outages systemwide and estimated times of restoration.

Follow these social media accounts to get up-to-date information about outages and restoration efforts:

· Facebook – www.facebook.com/duke.energy/

· Twitter – twitter.com/dukeenergy

Restoring power

If you experience a power outage after severe weather, it’s likely many other customers are out too. When there are widespread power outages, Duke Energy follows a restoration process that focuses on repairs that will return power to the greatest number of customers as safely, quickly and efficiently as possible. Emphasis is placed on vital public health and safety facilities such as hospitals, law enforcement, fire departments and water treatment facilities. This infographic explains the process: www.duke-energy.com/pdfs/How-Duke-Energy-Restores-Power.pdf

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 7.4 million electric customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately 24 million people. Its Commercial Portfolio and International business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.

The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos.

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.