Duke Energy Florida is taking proactive measures to prepare for the 2025 hurricane season by enhancing its infrastructure and utilizing advanced technology. The company, serving 2 million customers, aims to minimize power outages and ensure faster restoration in storm conditions.
Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida’s state president, expressed commitment to improving their storm response capabilities: “I’m extremely proud of how we’ve responded to storms in the past, but we’re determined to keep getting better,” she said. “We’ve been working, and will continue working every single day, to harden our equipment and implement state-of-the-art technology that will make our electric grid more efficient and resilient, ready for when the next storm hits. Our customers deserve nothing less.”
To strengthen its infrastructure, Duke Energy Florida has replaced about 60% of its wooden transmission poles with concrete or steel alternatives over five years. The completion target for this initiative is set for 2028. Additionally, approximately 50% of the distribution system has been placed underground to protect it from severe weather impacts. Ongoing projects are also underway at over 30 substations following completed work across 38 others.
The company’s arborists have maintained vegetation around critical infrastructure, trimming more than 4,000 miles of distribution lines in 2024 alone. This year’s plans include nearly 660 miles of maintenance on transmission lines.
Duke Energy Florida employs self-healing technology that functions like a GPS system rerouting traffic; it detects outages and redirects power swiftly—often within a minute—benefiting over three-quarters of its customer base. During past hurricanes such as Milton, Helene, and Debby, millions of outage hours were saved due to this technology.
The company’s efforts resulted in rapid power restoration during the previous hurricane season: “95% of outages (outside of the hardest-hit areas) were restored within 96 hours after Hurricane Milton,” along with similar success rates following Hurricanes Helene and Debby.
Duke Energy Florida encourages customers to prioritize personal preparedness by assembling emergency supply kits for at least two weeks’ needs. Customers should also plan for potential extended outages affecting elderly individuals or those with special medical requirements. Signing up for Outage Alerts through various channels is recommended as well.
As part of Duke Energy’s broader goals as a Fortune 150 company based in Charlotte, N.C., it continues significant investments towards upgrading electric grids and adopting cleaner energy solutions while maintaining customer reliability as a priority.
For further information on storm preparation tips or updates from Duke Energy visit their website or follow them on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn Instagram Facebook etcetera where they share stories highlighting innovations powering an evolving energy landscape today
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