Duke Energy is warning customers in North Carolina and South Carolina that a storm system with high winds is predicted to move through the area Sunday and Monday -- and could cause power outages.
“We know how important electricity is to customers at a time when so many are home all day, every day,” Duke Energy Carolinas storm director Jason Hollifield said in a statement. “Add to that, this is an important holiday weekend and sacred time for many people. We will work to respond to power outages as quickly as they occur, recognizing we must also ensure the safety of our crews and the communities we serve through proper social distancing practices and other protective measures. We appreciate our customers’ patience and support as we work to serve all of our customers in the Carolinas.”
Our area will see a Slight to Enhanced Risk of Severe Thunderstorms, mainly Sunday night into Monday morning. Tornadoes and large hail will be possible, but damaging winds are expected to pose the primary threat during the early morning hours Monday. #ncwx #scwx #gawx pic.twitter.com/frSa3SHdoj
— NWS GSP (@NWSGSP) April 11, 2020
Duke Energy offered a series of tips for keeping safe food "that many customers may have stored up (in) their refrigerators and freezers as part of their stay-at-home plans."
Among the tips:
- Have appliance thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer. The freezer temperature should be at or below 0° F, and the refrigerator should be at or below 40° F.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
- The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened.
- A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.
- Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerated food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours.
The FDA also offers additional tips for proper food handling and storage before, during and after a power outage – https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-and-water-safety-during-power-outages-and-floods
To report an outage, visit duke-energy.com or text OUT to 57801.