Carolinas Restoration

We’re working hard to restore all customers who can receive power across western North Carolina. Estimated times of restoration will vary based on the specifics of your outage, and we will continue to update individual estimated restoration times on our outage map as they become known.

Some customers may take a little longer given the extensive damage we are working to repair. For our hardest-hit customers who have extended outages or are unable to receive power, we will be working directly with local, state and federal agencies to support recovery efforts for both our customers and communities.

After the weather clears from a major storm, it can take days to fully assess all the downed wires, broken poles and other equipment in need of repair or replacement. Some areas in the mountains are taking even longer. We use a combination of historical data, algorithmic tools and boots on the ground to determine when we hope to have most customers back on. We adjust those estimates as our crews work. Sometimes the revised times are sooner than expected, but occasionally we run into additional damage or other problems that require us to move estimated times. We've seen tremendous damage in portions of western North Carolina that is complicating power restoration and affecting the estimated restoration times.

After a major storm or other event where damage is significant, damage assessors survey the hardest-hit areas and gather information for repair crews in advance. This process helps ensure the appropriate crews are assigned to repair damage and have all the materials and equipment they need to complete repairs efficiently once they arrive on-site. These assessors also help us determine where to dispatch our resources based on the level of damage in each county. These personnel help us provide better initial estimated times of restoration so our customers can plan accordingly.

We will keep you up to date with estimated restoration times and other information about our progress. In addition to text messages, phone calls and emails to customers signed up for outage alerts, we offer an online outage map where you can see all outages on our system, as well as information on your specific outage. We are also working extensively with local media to provide updates to help inform the public as we work to restore power across the communities we serve.

In addition to the thousands of local lineworkers here in the Carolinas, we brought in thousands of line and tree workers to help speed restoration. Beyond crew power, we are using a variety of technology and equipment to help accelerate power restoration, including mobile substations, tracked vehicles, helicopters and smart technologies. We are doing everything we can to reduce the number of customers affected by outages and to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.

When repairs are made to a large outage affecting thousands of customers, that repair is considered “complete” in our system, which automatically triggers an alert to all affected customers. There may, however, still be a smaller problem that requires repair before power can be restored to your home. If your power is still out when you receive a “repairs completed” notice, simply reply OFF to let us know your power is still out. This will help us isolate the piece of equipment still in need of repair and get your power restored.

We work to methodically restore as many customers as possible with each repair following a major storm or outage event. That often means working on main lines first and then moving to power equipment in neighborhoods or side streets. In many cases, the problem causing your outage is not in your neighborhood, so your service might come back on without you ever seeing a truck. Another reason could be that there is additional damage to other power lines that supply your area, which must be repaired first before repairs in your neighborhood will make a difference. If you have reported your outage and you see it identified on the outage map, rest assured we have not forgotten about you.

It is not uncommon for neighborhoods to be supplied by different power lines entering from different directions. When this situation occurs, your home is likely fed by another substation, circuit or transformer that is experiencing an outage. In our hardest-hit communities, these repairs may include considerable reconstruction of our grid infrastructure, requiring an unprecedented amount of equipment, people and time.

The information available on the outage map or in your alerts is often the same information our call center specialists have. We work hard to provide you with the latest information as it is available and we will share updates through various channels, including our website.

Please stay away from any downed power lines and always assume that those lines have power on them. If you are using a generator, please follow the manufacturer's instructions and do not attempt to connect the generator directly to the electric grid, as that can place both you and the crews working on the line in danger.

If you are traveling, or if you are driving and you see our crews working, please move over and slow down to provide them a safe space so that they can continue to serve you.

We understand that property damage and loss create additional stress and can sometimes pose a financial burden. If you believe Duke Energy caused a loss for which you should be compensated, you may submit a claim using our online form. To evaluate your claim fairly and respond promptly, we’ll need you to provide certain information and documentation.

Be aware that Duke Energy is not responsible for food loss, power outages, voltage fluctuations or property damage caused by acts of nature. This includes but is not limited to hurricanes, snow, ice, lightning, floods, extreme storms, heat or wind.

As we advance through our restoration efforts in the hardest-hit areas, we will update estimated times of restoration for customers as that information becomes available. In areas that are inaccessible or require major rebuilding, it will take some time to identify specific restoration timelines. We will continue to keep you informed on this page, via outage alerts and on our Outage Map.

Duke Energy focuses on restoring power in a sequence that enables power restoration to public health and safety facilities and to the greatest number of customers as safely and quickly as possible. We will continue to work alongside state and local emergency management partners to rebuild and restore critical infrastructure.

We prioritize the restoration of the backbone of our system, which can be compared to the interstate highways and interchanges of the power grid. As the backbone work is completed, we move personnel to work on the power grid’s thousands of miles of lines and poles that serve individual homes and businesses. This work can feel slower because the same amount of work restores fewer customers.

We set aggressive restoration goals and have more restoration crews in these regions than ever before, working night and day to restore service to our customers.

Scammers are active. Know that we will never contact your demanding immediate payment for billing or electrician services. Nor will we ever send a Duke Energy representative to your residence or business demanding payment for reconnections. We will never ask you to get a “Green Dot” or prepaid credit card.

Avoid suspicious texts or emails. Do not click on links or attachments. A text from Duke Energy will have an abbreviated link that always start with start with duk.us/. If you have already been a victim of a scam and sent money, please contact your financial institution immediately to understand your options. For phone or digital scams, you may file a complaint with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the state consumer protection agency. You can report a scam online or suspicious text by forwarding it to 7726.