Duke Energy has been actively responding to severe weather conditions in Ohio and Kentucky, characterized by historic floods. The Greater Cincinnati area experienced severe weather starting Thursday evening, continuing through the weekend. As of 9 a.m. Monday, the company had restored power to over 70,000 customers impacted by the storms.
The Ohio River crested at 60 feet Monday morning, leading to significant flooding in various low-lying areas of Kentucky and Ohio. Duke Energy, in conjunction with local authorities, has performed roughly 500 natural gas shutoffs in affected regions as a safety measure. Once the flood waters recede, natural gas service can be restored safely.
Amy Spiller, president of Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky, said, “Our crews have answered the call this past week and continue to work hard to restore natural gas and electric services to all of our communities. We urge our customers to remain safe, as we may see additional flash flooding today (Monday) as a result of the heavy rainfall.”
Duke Energy stresses the importance of safety for electric and gas customers amid the ongoing situation. If water threatens a home or business, turning off power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box is advised. Customers are urged to avoid downed electrical lines and not attempt to manage natural gas appliances if service has been turned off due to flooding.
Duke Energy continued to inform customers about measures to take during such emergencies and available resources. The company advises using the American Red Cross Emergency app for weather safety updates. For power restoration, the focus remains on repairing large power lines and infrastructure to restore service to the largest number, before moving to more localized issues.
Customers can report outages and receive status updates through Duke Energy’s mobile app, website, or automated phone system. The interactive outage map provides the latest information on power outages.
Given the broad response required for the situation, Duke Energy warns customers to be cautious of scams, emphasizing that they will never ask for payment over the phone or threaten disconnection in this way.
Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky is a subsidiary of Duke Energy, serving extensive customer bases in Ohio and Kentucky. As a significant entity in the energy sector, Duke Energy is focused on enhancing the electric grid and increasing cleaner energy generation.
More information can be obtained from Duke Energy’s official platforms and news resources.