Sunita Somvanshi
Duke Energy’s automated grid technology protected over 300,000 customers during hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, preventing lengthy outages and preserving over 300 million minutes of power supply for Floridians.
Photo Source: Chris Light (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo Source: James Willamor (CC BY-SA 2.0)
With storms becoming more frequent and intense, Duke Energy's year-round infrastructure work and Storm Protection Plan have proven crucial for quick, safe power restoration when disaster strikes.
The self-healing grid currently serves 77% of Duke Energy Florida’s customer base, reducing the number of affected customers by up to 75% through rapid isolation and rerouting protocols.
Photo Source: City Dweller 2 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo Source: JPatrick Finnegan (CC BY 2.0)
How does Duke Energy’s self-healing grid work? It isolates faults quickly, reroutes power, and reduces outage times significantly—critical in extreme weather events amplified by climate change.
Over the past three years, Duke Energy has reinforced over 40,000 power poles, inspecting over 100,000 poles annually to ensure a resilient grid ready for extreme weather.
50% of Duke Energy’s primary distribution lines are now underground, effectively minimizing storm-related outages caused by vegetation, a major issue during Florida’s hurricane season.
Duke Energy’s grid expansion includes 100+ miles of new transmission lines, 16 new substations, and nearly 100 miles of upgrades—ensuring better service for 2 million customers in Florida.
Photo Source: Jucumari photography (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
How is Duke Energy adapting to the future? The utility aims for net-zero methane emissions by 2030 and carbon emissions by 2050, working toward a cleaner and more resilient energy grid.
Local emergency management reports quicker power restoration times with Duke Energy’s technology, even during major hurricanes, ensuring minimal disruption to hospitals and emergency services.
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