DUKE ENERGY

Most customers of Duke Energy Florida will see a slight increase in their bill starting next month now that the Florida Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved the energy provider’s latest fuel and capacity rate request.

A squirrel caused thousands to lose power in Lake Mary on Wednesday, according to Duke Energy.

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A driver has been taken to the hospital in stable condition after a crash in Seminole County, the fire department said. Firefighters said a white Ford 250 crashed into fencing on and power lines went down, causing traffic to stop westbound on State Road 436. Seminole County Fire Department said Duke Energy had been notified of the incident. Officials said Altamonte Police Department has two tow trucks heading to the scene. SCFD said State Road 436 is expected to reopen in the next 20 to 30 minutes.

If you’ve been driving down the road at night and wondered to yourself, “Why are these streetlights purple,” we have your answer.

Thousands of Duke Energy customers are without power in Orange and Seminole counties on Christmas Eve, according to an outage map on the company’s website.

Without warning, Duke Energy cut power to hundreds of thousands in the Carolinas on Christmas Eve and Hanukkah, when much of the country was under weather advisories.

INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — Several of Indiana’s major employers want their local utilities to make it easier for them to buy power generated by wind and solar farms so they can move closer to their renewable energy goals. They want what's often called a Green Tariff, which would allow the cities and companies to buy locally produced renewable energy, The Indianapolis Star reported. Caryl Auslander, executive director of Advanced Energy Economy Indiana, said large customers “want to choose renewable energy, and we’re asking Duke and AES to give them more options." All green tariff programs would need to be approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, the state’s utility regulator. But green tariff programs are what the large companies and municipalities want.

The investigation into the attack on two electrical substations in Moore County, North Carolina, is now focusing on search warrants and cell phone records, reports say.

Law enforcement officials in North Carolina are applying for search warrants related to the weekend shooting of electric substations that caused widespread power outages in Moore County, authorities confirmed Thursday. The FBI is seeking cell phone records that could indicate who was near the substations Saturday night, said an agency spokeswoman Shelley Lynch. Such search warrant applications “are a normal step in a law enforcement investigation," she added.

Kevin Wheeler, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Columbia, South Carolina, said that while “no stone is left unturned,” there is no information connecting the Wednesday's incident in South Carolina to Saturday's in North Carolina. “We currently have no evidence leading us to believe this incident involves any type of attack on the Duke Energy Hydro Station," Boan said in the post. The witnesses said the shooter fired toward the woods nearby, not at them or the power plant or dam, “so we can’t absolutely confirm that there was any threat to the power station," Boan said. Duke Energy completed repairs Wednesday on electric substation equipment that was damaged in the North Carolina shootings, knocking out power to more than 45,000 customers. The utilities — Portland General Electric, the Bonneville Power Administration and Puget Sound Energy — said they were working with the FBI on the attacks.

More than 45,000 customers in Moore County lost power over the weekend after one or more people damaged electric substations with gunfire.

It was not clear if the facility itself was targeted.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced the state was offering $25,000 for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for taking out two Moore County substations.

RALEIGH, N.C. — (AP) — Duke Energy completed repairs Wednesday on electric substation equipment damaged in shootings over the weekend in central North Carolina. Almost all households in Moore County had regained power as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to Duke Energy’s outage map. The county’s transportation services are operating only for clients who have scheduled dialysis, chemotherapy and radiation treatment, according to the Moore County website. Meanwhile, the Moore County outage brought renewed attention to a substation that was vandalized last month in another county about 150 miles (240 kilometers) southeast. It was not immediately clear how the damage was done or if there is a link to the Moore County outages.

The state of North Carolina, power company Duke Energy, and Moore County are each offering up to $25,000 for information.

State regulators Tuesday approved utility costs that will translate to higher electric bills in January for homeowners and businesses — and the pain won’t end there.

MOORE COUNTY, N.C. — Officials with Duke Energy said Wednesday that the company has repaired or replaced equipment damaged by gunfire at a pair of substations over the weekend. >> Read more trending newsThe vandalism knocked out power for about 45,000 people in Moore County, utility officials said. In a statement to customers on its website, Duke Energy said that it aimed to have power restored to the majority of the about 12,000 residents who remained without electricity later Wednesday. “Once we have completed all necessary testing, the gradual restoration of service to those Moore County communities still without power will begin,” utility officials said. On Sunday, Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said the attacks were targeted and appeared to be aimed at shutting down power to the county.

The damage to two substations on Saturday cut power to thousands of central North Carolina homes. The utility says it expects power to be fully restored by midnight.

The FBI appealed to the public for help identifying an "unknown" suspect or suspects in the Moore County power grid sabotage after one resident found dead in home without electricity.

RALEIGH, N.C. — (AP) — Duke Energy said Wednesday that it has completed repairs on substation equipment damaged when it was shot up and that it expects power to be fully restored by the evening. In a statement to customers on its website, the energy company said that all of the equipment damaged in an attack on two North Carolina substations Saturday has been fixed or replaced. The company said that Moore County customers will gradually get power back throughout the day as it finishes testing and completes restoration safely. The Moore County School District will announce by Wednesday at 4 p.m. whether schools will be closed to students on Friday. The county’s transportation services are operating only for clients who have scheduled dialysis, chemotherapy and radiation treatment, according to the Moore County website.

Duke Energy says it has completed repairs on substation equipment damaged in shootings over the weekend and that it's restored power to all but a fraction of the thousands of customers who lost electricity in a central North Carolina county.

Duke Energy said it expects to have power back Wednesday just before midnight in Moore County. The outages began shortly after one or more people breached the gates and opened fire on two substations.

It was first estimated that it would take until Thursday, Dec. 8 to reconnect all affected customers.

Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks said the company expects to have power back Wednesday just before midnight in Moore County. About 35,000 Duke energy customers were still without power Tuesday, down from more than 45,000 at the height of the outage Saturday. Sam Stephenson, a power delivery specialist for Duke Energy, said the company has been able to implement “rolling power-ups” in the northern part of the county, giving some customers power in 2- to 3-hour waves. Law enforcement in surrounding counties has been more vigilant about monitoring nearby substations since the attack, he said. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Power is expected to be restored by Thursday after a firearm attack on the power grid last weekend left more than 30,000 homes in a North Carolina county without electricity. Roy Cooper provided the update on Moore County on Tuesday, adding, “I hope it’s earlier. Authorities said one or more suspects shot up two substations, causing a mass blackout that left 45,000 utility customers without power. Reporters asked Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields about speculation that the attacks were a protest against a planned drag show set for Saturday. A state of emergency was put in place for the area, located east of Charlotte, by the Moore County Board of Commissioners.

RALEIGH, N.C. — (AP) — Duke Energy said it expects to be able to restore power by Wednesday night to a county where electric substations were attacked by gunfire. Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks said the company expects to have power back Wednesday just before midnight in Moore County. About 35,000 Duke energy customers were still without power Tuesday, down from more than 45,000 at the height of the outage Saturday. In the short-term, the state has sent generators to Moore County and is helping feed residents. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

RALEIGH, N.C. — (AP) — Crews are making progress on restoring power to a county where one or more vandals shot up substations, but the repairs won't be complete until later in the week, Duke Energy said Tuesday. The power company said in a message to customers posted on its website that it is on track to restore power throughout Moore County by Thursday morning, in line with previous estimates. “Our technicians continue to work in 24-hour shifts and remain on schedule to bring service back on by early Thursday,” the statement said. Nearly 36,000 customers were without power in the county, down from a peak of around 45,000, according to poweroutage.us. Duke Energy officials have said the damage requires sophisticated repairs and delivery of equipment from outside of the area.

Duke Energy says it expects to be able to restore power by Wednesday night to a county where electric substations were attacked by gunfire.

WASHINGTON — (AP) — Investigators believe a shooting that damaged power substations in North Carolina was a crime. Authorities have warned that the nation's electricity infrastructure could be vulnerable targets for domestic terrorists. Members of white supremacist and antigovernment groups have been linked to plots to attack the power grid. The vastness of American electricity infrastructure makes it difficult to defend. Southers said all of these challenges mean that protecting the electricity infrastructure can come down to response and backup systems more than defense.

Investigators believe a shooting that damaged power substations in North Carolina was a crime.

Moore County, North Carolina implemented a curfew for Dec. 4 starting at 9 p.m. because over 40,000 customers are without power which may not be restored until Thursday.

The power outage across Moore County is being investigated as a criminal act, Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said.

More than 40,000 electric customers in the county remained without power on Sunday morning, according to poweroutage.us.

MOORE COUNTY, N.C. — Vandalism may have been the cause of a major power outage in a North Carolina county on Saturday night, authorities said. >> Read more trending newsJeff Brooks, a spokesman for Duke Energy, said the power in Moore County shut down at about 8 p.m. EST, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported. The outage “is being investigated as a criminal occurrence,” the Moore County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post. A Duke Energy outage map Saturday night showed 37,998 customers without power in Moore County, WRAL-TV reported. I have spoken with Duke Energy and state law enforcement officials about the power outages in Moore County.

A power outage in North Carolina that left nearly 40,000 people without power on Saturday is being investigated as a criminal act, police say.

ORLANDO, Fla. — After Hurricane Ian blew through Central Florida, customers are waiting with various levels of patience for their services to be restored. Florida Power and Light said more than 50% of their customers have been reconnected. 42,000+ restoration personnel are working around the clock to get power restored as quickly & safely as possible. READ: FEMA administrators arrive in Central Florida to assess Hurricane Ian assistance needsGasAs of Friday afternoon, gas shortages were reported at 16% of Central Florida stations, according to Patrick De Haan with GasBuddy. RaceTrac stations reported varying shortages at its sites, though nothing consistent or widespread.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County officials provided an update on Hurricane Ian recovery efforts on Friday morning. Here’s the latest:Regular trash pickup service for unincorporated Orange County residents will resume Monday. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 13 Homes remain flooded by Hurricane Ian in Orange County’s Orlo Vista neighborhoodOrange County Public Schools are scheduled to resume classes on Monday. Video: Orange County nursing center evacuated due to rising flood waters Orange County nursing center evacuated due to rising flood waters (James Tutten, WFTV.com/WFTV)OUC reached its peak number of utility outages on Thursday at 97,560 as of Friday morning. Watch: Thousands of utility workers in Florida as Hurricane Ian recovery continuesAs of 9:15 this morning, Duke Energy said 35% of its customers in Orange County were without power.

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — Thousands of people in Central Florida will wake up Friday with no power. As of Friday morning, more than 27,000 Orlando Utilities Commission customers are in the dark, as well as nearly 295,000 Duke Energy customers, nearly 211,000 Florida Power and Light customers and more than 2,500 Kissimmee Utility Authority customers. LIVE UPDATES: Florida works toward recovery as Hurricane Ian heads toward the CarolinasDozens of Duke Energy trucks are set up just outside The Villages, ready to help all across the state. About 4,800 Duke energy workers and mutual aid are hitting the roads today to restore power for customers across the state. They have been sent to all the way from west Pinellas County, east to Orange County, Seminole County and multiple places in between.

It could be days or weeks before power services are completely restored in Florida as Hurricane Ian makes landfall.

DELTONA, Fla. — A retired nurse and army veteran in Deltona said her energy bill has doubled, sometimes tripled, now totaling more than $5,000. She’s now hoping Duke Energy will check out her meter and her home to see what could be causing the problem. READ: Tropical storm warnings issued for Caribbean islands as Tropical Storm Fiona moves westThe spike in Hosendove’s bills started in the summer months when bills are expected to be higher. The retired nurse and army veteran is on a fixed income, and now on a payment plan. Duke Energy said when there’s an unusual spike in usage, it’s usually because something such as an air conditioning isn’t working properly.

A large power outage hit Leesburg and Fruitland Park Tuesday evening, according to Leesburg Fire Rescue.

Energy transition and carbon-neutral power production are for real, but there is no technology today that can replace nuclear power, says Duke Energy's CEO.

The cause is unknown at this time.

ORLANDO, Fla. — A $75,000 donation from Duke Energy is helping to charge up the training of future engineers and computer science professionals at the University of Central Florida. Duke Energy officials said the donation will be used specifically for programs designed to build leadership skills in students. “At UCF, while our engineering and computer science students are learning the core technical aspects of their disciplines, they are simultaneously learning important ‘soft skills’ and leadership qualities that are critically important in the workplace,” said Michael Georgiopoulos, dean of the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science, in a statement. READ: UCF’s first Themed Experience graduating class enters high-demand workforceOfficials said the donation adds to a previous $75,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation to support UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science projects, including the Girls Excelling in Math and Science mentorship program; Senior Design; and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Officials said over the years, Duke Energy and its foundation have given more than $5 million to support UCF programs.

Some Duke Energy customers said they got a big shock when they opened their most recent electric bill – a new charge that requires them to spend a specific amount of money with the utility company per month.

ORLANDO, Fla. — A major winter storm swept across much of the nation with 31 states in its crosshairs. The storm dumped snow on the Midwest overnight and now millions more are bracing for snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Here in Central Florida, the Orlando Utilities Commission and Duke Energy are sending crews to North Carolina to help those affected by the storm. This is the first time since 1993 that OUC has sent a crew to help with recovery efforts after a winter storm. Duke Energy is doing its part as well to assist storm victims in North Carolina.

Duke Energy Florida asked state regulators Friday to approve collecting an additional $314.2 million from customers because of higher-than-expected fuel costs for power plants.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — As seasonal winter weather moves in and the cost of energy increases across the globe, Duke Energy is reminding its customers of available tips, tools and assistance programs to help them prepare for higher winter bills. Winter weather and higher natural gas prices could create additional hardships on our customers,” Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida president, said in a news release. “The increase in fuel prices is set by the market and passed through to customers with no markup. We want to highlight steps to help customers manage their energy usage and lower bills.”READ: Amazon Web Services outage disrupts dozens of sitesHere’s how to save money this winter, according to Duke. Duke Energy Florida offers free home energy checks to help customers identify how they can reduce their electric use and save money.

Roy Cooper of North Carolina signed a milestone energy bill into law Wednesday that aims to sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the state's power plants by 2030, celebrating the legislative accomplishment with Republican lawmakers. At least 16 states previously have passed legislation establishing greenhouse gas emissions reduction requirements, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. To get there, coal-fired power plants operated by Duke Energy, the state's dominant utility, are expected to be retired early, replaced by an evolving mix of alternate fuels for electricity. The new law also allows Duke Energy to seek multiyear rate increases and performance-based earnings incentives from the state Utilities Commission — a significant win for the Charlotte-based company. This led to extensive talks between state senators and Cooper for an agreement that was announced almost two weeks ago.

A milestone energy bill that targets sharply reducing greenhouse gas emissions from North Carolina power plants has become law.

A family that lost five members in a tubing accident on a North Carolina river is suing Duke Energy, saying the utility failed to adequately warn people that its dam poses life-threatening risks. “Despite knowing of the danger posed by the dam, Duke Energy failed to use barricades, barriers, buoys and other safety devices to prevent boaters from going over the submerged dam and being caught in the recirculating currents,” the lawsuit says. Duke Energy didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday, but WRAL reported that spokesman Dave Scanzoni said in a statement that the utility would respond in detail in court.

Hurricane Ida’s projected path shows the storm hitting Louisiana this weekend.

Lake Mary High School dismisses students because there's no power at the school.

Early downpours likely loosened soil, National Weather Service meteorologist says.

More than 500 power trucks from the Midwest and the Carolinas staged overnight in Sumter County.

Secret bill mostly serves Duke Energy’s natural gas plans

Tubing accident Emergency personnel respond to the scene where a group tubing on the Dan river went over a dam on Thursday. EDEN, N.C. — Three people died and two others are missing after a group riding on inflatable tubes tumbled over a North Carolina dam Wednesday, authorities said. 7-year-old among 2 missing, 14-year-old among 3 dead after family tubing on Dan River goes over dam in Rockingham County https://t.co/8NY3Pss9zM pic.twitter.com/ZbV3Iwzqnt — FOX8 WGHP (@myfox8) June 18, 2021Teresa Villano, 30, of Eden, and Isiah Crawford, 7, of Eden, are still missing, the television station reported. “We’re going to stay positive that we can do a rescue rather than a recovery,” Cates said about the missing tubers. Officials resumed the search for missing tubers on Friday morning, according to WTVD.

The search for two missing tubers continues after three others were found dead and four more were pulled from the water after the group went over an 8-foot dam Wednesday. Cates said that the rescued tubers spent the night floating in the water near the dam before they were found clinging to the tubes. He said he was still optimistic the two missing tubers could be found alive. First responders indicated the survivors were caught in fast-moving water near the dam when they were found, according to recordings of scanner traffic on broadcastify.com. Caller is advising five tubers … went over the dam,” one person says.

The search for two missing tubers continues after three others were found dead and four more were pulled from the water after the group went over an 8-foot dam Wednesday. Cates said that the rescued tubers spent the night floating in the water near the dam before they were found clinging to the tubes. He said he was still optimistic the two missing tubers could be found alive. First responders indicated the survivors were caught in fast-moving water near the dam when they were found, according to recordings of scanner traffic on broadcastify.com. Caller is advising five tubers … went over the dam,” one person says.

Four people were rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that Cates said were not life-threatening. (WSET-TV via AP) (Uncredited)EDEN, N.C. — (AP) — A search resumed Friday on a North Carolina river for two missing tubers after three others were found dead and four were pulled from the water, authorities said. A Duke Energy employee who saw some of the tubers called the situation in to 911 Thursday afternoon, Cates said. Cates said it's not immediately clear why the tubers didn't contact authorities sooner, but he said it may have been because they didn't have phones with them. Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks said the employee at the Dan River Combined Cycle Station who called 911 wasn't available for an interview.

A search has resumed for two missing tubers on a North Carolina river after three others were found dead and four were pulled from the water.

The bill would curb carbon emissions from Duke Energy, but does not reach North Carolina’s goal of a 70% reduction by 2030.

— (AP) — Three people are dead and two remain missing after a group floating down a North Carolina river on inflatable tubes went over a dam, authorities said Thursday. Rockingham County Emergency Services Director Rodney Cates told reporters that a group of nine people tubing on the Dan River went over the Duke Energy dam in Eden around sunset on Wednesday. A Duke Energy employee who saw some of the tubers called the situation in to 911 Thursday afternoon, Cates said. Four other people were rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that Cates said were not life-threatening. Boats and helicopters were used in the search in the county north of Greensboro along the Virginia state line.

The energy legislation, which has been negotiated behind closed doors, requires Duke Energy to replace some coal plants with natural gas.

The energy legislation, which has been negotiated behind closed doors, requires Duke Energy to replace some coal plants with natural gas.

A high-angle rescue is underway in Orange County after a pair of construction workers got stuck in the bucket of a cherry picker 40 feet in the air.

Construction workers trapped in bucket truck Two construction workers trapped in bucket truck 40 feet in the air in Orange County. (Orange County Fire Rescue)ORLANDO, Fla. — Two construction workers are stuck 40 feet in the air after they hit a transmission line with their bucket truck, according to the Orange County Fire Rescue. PHOTOS: 2 construction workers trapped in bucket truck 40 feet in the airFirefighters said the line is still charged and there are wires touching the bucket. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 Construction workers trapped in bucket truck Two construction workers trapped in bucket truck 40 feet in the air in Orange County. 2 construction workers hit a transmission line with their bucket truck.

Duke said previous proposals by the fund ‘not in the best interests of the company’

An electrical issue has forced a portion of Semoran Boulevard to be shut down during the rush hour commute on Wednesday.

Duke Energy said that as of Saturday night, 8,300 customers across Florida had suffered power outages as a result of storms and high winds throughout the day that knocked debris and tree limbs into poles and wires.

More than 50 of the largest U.S. companies paid nothing in federal income taxes last year, even though they reported big pretax profits as a group.

Solar panels help teach sustainability on campus.

CLERMONT, Fla. – Many residents in Clermont woke up Wednesday to a power outage. According to officials, the outage was reported at 7:15 a.m. at a substation in the Clermont area. “Approximately 10,000 Duke Energy customers were initially without power,” Duke Energy said. According to the Clermont Police Department, all traffic lights on Highway 50 from Hancock Road east to the county line were without power. According to Duke Energy, power was completely restored by 9:55 a.m. with the first 3,000 customers having their power turned on by 8:30 a.m.“We are still investigating the cause of the outage,” Duke Energy added.

Utility crews in Florida are preparing to restore power after Tropical Storm Eta makes its way through the state. Florida Power and Lights said that this is the second time their crews have prepared for Eta after it hit areas of south Florida last weekend. Duke Energy said that it brought in about 350 additional crews to add to the more than 2,000 already in the state. Thomas Carpenter, director for Lake County’s Office of Emergency Management said that officials are keeping a close eye on Eta. “Really it’s just the timing of how quickly Eta moves through and so we will be watching that throughout the night,” Carpenter said.

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – For the fourth time this year, Duke Energy sent crews to the Gulf Coast this time to help residents during Hurricane Delta. Robert Thompson is one of the linemen with Duke Energy and left Friday morning. He had just gotten back from the panhandle a couple of weeks ago after Hurricane Sally left thousands without power. Spokesperson with Duke Energy said the company is actually sending 165 crews from all over the state to Louisiana. Florida Power and Light also sent dozens of crews to the Gulf Coast on Thursday.

This Sept. 14, 2020 photo shows shows a Duke Energy natural gas-fired electric power plant on Sutton Lake in Wilmington, N.C. It went online in 2013 and replaced a coal-fired plant that had polluted the lake with coal ash. It would provide a source of steam to generate electricity and a place to cool hot water from an adjacent coal-fired plant. Sutton Lake became popular with boaters and anglers, yielding bass, crappie, bluegill and other panfish. But environmental groups challenging the Trump rule in court say it opens up reservoirs like Sutton Lake to similar abuse.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Thousands of Orange County residents were without power on Monday, according to an outages map from Duke Energy. At that time, 29 total outages had been reported in Orange County, according to Duke Energy’s website. Duke Energy’s map said at least one of the outages was caused by equipment going offline. [READ MORE: Here’s how to report, get updates on power outages in Florida]Cokinos said strong storms could also bring wind gusts near 40+ mph. At last check, Duke Energy’s map showed power was expected to be restored by 11:15 p.m.Click here to get updates on the outages.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. More than 3,000 Duke Energy customers were without power in Central Florida after storms moved through the area on Monday night. Orange County and Seminole County was under a weather advisory for about thirty minutes on Monday night. Trees were reported down at several intersections in Orange County. This is a developing story. We will update this story as more information becomes available.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. More than 4,000 customers are without power in Central Florida on Saturday night, according to Duke Energy. Around seven counties in Central Florida were under a tornado warning at some point on Saturday night. In Orlando, more than 1,000 customers are without power. The Duke Energy site shows 1,000 customers are without power in Ocoee. More than 300 customers are without power in Deltona, according to the Duke Energy site.

CENTRAL FLORIDA – Last week, both Duke Energy and Florida Power & Light promised repeatedly that most customers would have their electricity restored by Sunday night. "We've been waiting on Duke Energy to get here and we haven't seen any sign of hope or any kind of workers maybe but once. Monday afternoon, Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks apologized for the missed deadline. This is the largest storm to ever hit the Duke Energy service area. As News 6 was leaving Sandy Shores, several Duke Energy line workers pulled up and began removing a tree that ripped down a powerline.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Duke Energy said it has changed its automated system so consumers can reach customer service employees more quickly. Hurricane Irma overwhelmed some systems Duke Energy said it relies on to provide information to customers. "We apologize profusely for any issues experienced with our customer service and appreciate our customers’ patience," Duke Energy said. The company spokesperson said Duke Energy received numerous customer reports that there was no opt-out option in the automated system allowing them to speak to a customer service representative. Customers can follow Duke Energy on Twitter and Facebook (Duke Energy) for updated information.