Duke Energy alerts customers to flooding dangers during Tropical Storm Colin

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With Tropical Storm Colin bringing severe weather to Florida, Duke Energy is responding and urging customers to be safe.

Duke Energy's storm center has been activated and crews and additional contractors are in place in Pinellas County through north Florida in order to quickly and safely respond to outages.

The storm is expected to bring heavy rain and flooding to coastal areas.

"At Duke Energy, safety always comes first. We actively care about the safety of our customers, crews and employees during and after every storm event," said  Luis Ordaz, Duke Energy Florida storm director. "We've trained and prepared, and we want to ensure our customers are safe too."

Electrocutions are the second-leading cause of death during and after floods, according to the American Red Cross. Duke Energy offers the following electrical safety guidelines when coping with flooding:

• If rising water threatens your home – or if you evacuate your home – turn off your power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box.
• Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. Don't drive over – and don't stand near – downed power lines.
• Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands, or while standing on a wet or damp surface.
• If your home or business is flooded, Duke Energy cannot reconnect power until the electrical system has been inspected by a licensed electrician. If there is damage, an electrician will need to make necessary repairs and obtain verification from your local building inspection authority before power can be restored. Duke Energy can provide a free, no-obligation referral to a local reputable electrician at 888-999-8856.

When outages occur for any reason, Duke Energy is committed to restoring power as safely and quickly as possible, while keeping customers informed throughout the process.

Customers can report outages by calling (800) 228-8485 or online at www.duke-energy.com. 

In addition, outage alerts are available by text or voice message and feature restoration times, status updates, outage causes and notification when power is restored.

Text "REG" to 57801 to register for text alerts or enroll at duke-energy.com/outagealerts for voicemail notifications. Customers will need to have their account number or have their mobile number registered with their account.

For storm updates on social media, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy and @DE_SuzanneG) and Facebook (Duke Energy).

About Duke Energy Florida Duke Energy Florida owns coal-fired and natural gas generation providing about 9,100 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.7 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.

With its Florida regional headquarters located in St. Petersburg, Fla., 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 a 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. 

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

Contact: Ana Gibbs Office: 813.928.7263 24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy