CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Duke Energy is mobilizing repair crews and equipment as the remnants of Hurricane Isaias threaten to bring severe weather and power outages to the Carolinas this weekend.
While meteorological forecasts indicate the center of the storm will track west of the region, the eastern edge of the system is expected to deliver heavy rain and strong wind gusts across North Carolina and South Carolina on Saturday and Sunday.
Utility officials stated that the highest risk for power outages is concentrated in the western half of the Carolinas, specifically across the North Carolina mountains and South Carolina’s Upstate. Strong wind gusts pose the primary threat, as they can topple trees, down power poles, and significantly slow down initial utility response operations.
“We’re monitoring conditions closely and getting our crews and equipment ready to respond as soon as it’s safe,” Joe Huff, Duke Energy storm director, said in a statement.
The Charlotte-based utility provider noted that line workers and support teams are currently conducting equipment checks and staging materials. Crews are also preparing to dynamically relocate to the hardest-hit areas as damage assessments begin.
Company guidelines restrict technicians from working in elevated bucket trucks once sustained winds reach 30 mph or higher, which may delay early restoration efforts. Duke Energy highlighted that recent grid modernizations, including burying outage-prone lines underground and integrating self-healing smart technology, will help automatically reroute power and mitigate widespread blackouts.
Customers in the storm’s projected path are being urged to prepare emergency kits with flashlights and batteries, fully charge mobile devices, and log into their utility accounts to confirm contact preferences for automated text alerts.
Outages can be reported online, via the company’s mobile application, or by calling 800-769-3766.
More information
- X: @DukeEnergy, @DukeEnergyNC and @DukeEnergySC
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- Current outages: duke-energy.com/OutageMap
- Storm tips: duke-energy.com/StormTips
