As Charlotte and much of the southern United States braces for a weekend of sleet, snow and ice, the region’s largest energy provider is preparing for potential outages.
This week, Duke Energy’s team of in-house meteorologists has been tracking the potential for a major winter storm. The team’s insights help inform the company of the response needed, said Logan Stewart, the lead communications manager for Duke Energy.
The approach to a major winter storm depends on the type of precipitation. Snow and ice are expected this weekend and each has its own damage thresholds. It takes about 6 inches of snow or more before customers start seeing snow-related outages. For ice, it takes only a quarter of an inch.
“Vegetation is our number one leading cause of outages, but when you’re talking about snow or ice… on a tree limb, that’s where we see a lot of the outages and why they occur,” Stewart said.
Crews are performing pre-storm tree trimming this week to help reduce the number of outages.
Duke Energy is relying on its meteorologists’ guidance to help guide its response to the storm. The advantage of being a large provider is the abundance of resources, Stewart said. With service across the Carolinas, Florida and the Midwest, additional crews can be brought in to help address outages. Duke serves close to 5 million customers in the Carolinas.
In recent years, Duke has initiated work across North Carolina for grid improvement. This includes replacing poles and installing “self-healing” technology. This allows customers who lose power to be rerouted to another line until power is restored. About 75% of Duke Energy customers benefit from this technology, Stewart said.
Ice-covered tree limbs glisten in the Village of Lake Park in Union County last January.
(JEFF SINER/jsiner@charlotteobserver.com)
How customers can prepare
As the storm approaches, Stewart urges customers to have a plan.
People caring for an elderly family member who relies on electricity for their care should plan for an alternative place for them. Stock up on battery packs and flashlights. Keep phones charged. And if you’re using a generator, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Stewart advised careful driving during the storm as cars hitting utility polls is the third most common reason for power outages. And if customers come across downed lines, Stewart said, they should report them and not approach.
Duke Energy has an extensive list of tips on its website to help customers prepare before, during and after a storm.
Stewart also encourages customers to report outages by texting OUT to 57801 or calling 800 POWERON (800.769.3766). Duke Energy customers can also sign-up for outage alerts by texting REG to 57801. Outages will also be uploaded to Duke Energy’s outage map.
