Duke Energy announced on March 15 that it is preparing for damaging high winds and possible tornadic activity expected throughout Monday in the Carolinas, which could lead to downed trees and power lines.
The company said these weather conditions may cause power outages, urging customers to take precautions ahead of the storm. Duke Energy storm director Rick Canavan said, “Strong wind gusts can bring down trees and power lines and cause outages, and our line and tree crews will work as quickly and safely as possible to restore service as outages occur.” He added, “We’re closely monitoring weather conditions, and we encourage customers to prepare now, stay weather‑aware, and always avoid downed power lines.”
Duke Energy advised customers to make a plan by charging phones, gathering flashlights with extra batteries, and reviewing other emergency actions. The company also recommended downloading or updating the Duke Energy app for outage information, confirming account login details online or via mobile app, signing up for outage alerts by text or email, and knowing how to report an outage through various channels including texting OUT to 57801 or calling 800.POWERON (800.769.3766).
The utility emphasized safety during storms by advising people to stay away from downed power lines and storm debris. It noted that recent grid improvements—such as upgraded poles and wires, undergrounding certain lines prone to outages, and adding smart technology that can reroute power automatically—are designed to reduce outages and speed restoration. However, severe weather may still result in extended outages despite these upgrades.
Restoration efforts will begin once it is safe for crews; however, blocked roads or hazardous travel could delay repairs in some areas. For safety reasons, crews cannot perform elevated work in bucket trucks when winds reach 30 miles per hour or higher.
Duke Energy serves millions of electric utility customers across several states including North Carolina and South Carolina. The company continues investing in grid upgrades as part of its broader energy transition strategy focused on reliability and cleaner generation sources.
