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Power Outages

Snow, ice storms and storms with high winds and rain can cause severe damage that can lead to power outages.

When an object, such as a tree limb, comes in contact with a power line, circuit breakers or other protective equipment shut off the flow of power. All of the customers connected to that circuit lose power until the object is removed and the equipment is reset.

During severe weather, such as snow, ice, or wind storms, trees may be uprooted and fall onto the power lines, knocking down miles of power lines and poles. In these cases, the electrical line has to be completely rebuilt. This is dangerous and time consuming work and may cause you to be without power for longer periods of time. Trees may even block streets or highways and prevent access to the area. Before our crews can get to the scene of an outage, trees and other debris have to be removed to allow access.

Damage to electrical equipment is not always obvious or immediately visible. Before repairs can be made, Duke Energy crews must inspect the lines and equipment to find the specific problem. The line crews must ensure the area is safe before restoration can begin.

Weather-Related Causes Of Outages:

Lightning

Lightning is a common cause of outages during storms. Lightning strikes can hit our electrical equipment, causing you to lose power. Lightning can also strike trees, which may fall onto power lines and cause outages.

Snow and Ice

Snow and ice storms can create heavy buildup on power lines and on trees. Their weight can cause tree limbs and entire trees to fall onto power lines - knocking the lines and poles down and breaking them, or knocking the lines onto each other, causing an outage.

Wind

High winds or fallen trees may cause power lines to touch and short out, causing an outage. Wind may also blow tree limbs or entire trees onto the power lines, causing the lines to fall to the ground and possibly even break the lines and poles.

Rain and Flooding

Heavy rains can cause flooding in certain areas. Floods can cause damage to both above-ground and underground electrical equipment. To prevent major damage to the equipment, Duke Energy technicians may need to shut it down, affecting service to some customers.

Other Causes of outages:

Car Accidents

Car accidents are a common cause of power outages. Car accidents sometimes result in broken poles, causing power lines to break or touch.

Animals

Small animals (squirrels, birds, snakes, etc.) can also cause power outages. These animals climb on certain pieces of equipment, such as transformers and fuses, causing the equipment to shut down. By shutting down, the equipment protects the rest of the system.