Update on power outages in Charlotte area after Tuesday’s storm

Chyna Blackmon
·4 min read

Thousands of homes across the Carolinas — including in the Charlotte area — are without power as a strong storm rolled through the southeast on Tuesday. Some of those outages carried through Wednesday morning.

Across the state, more than 45,000 people were still experiencing power outages Wednesday morning, including around Charlotte.

Multiple counties, including Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston and Union, were impacted by the storm that brought high winds, heavy rain and a tornado, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.

[RELATED: NC Gov. Cooper declares state of emergency as massive storm system approaches.]

When will power be restored?

By Wednesday morning, Duke Energy had restored service in more of the areas impacted by the storm, but thousands of people were still without power.

A screen grab of Duke Energy power outages in the Carolinas as of 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
A screen grab of Duke Energy power outages in the Carolinas as of 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday:

  • 8,076 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power.

  • Statewide, 45,394 are without power.

“Gusty winds will persist through much of the day as a vestige of Tuesday’s severe storms. The majority of customers still without power in the western and central portions of the Carolinas should have an estimated time of when service will be restored for their area by mid-morning,” Duke Energy’s website says.

“The eastern portions of the state experienced severe conditions well into the evening hours and will still require additional assessment of damage before estimates are available. More details will be provided later today.We greatly appreciate everyone’s ongoing patience while we work to get power restored for all. “

Tracking Duke Energy power outages during Tuesday’s storm

On Tuesday, The Charlotte Observer tracked power outages in the area and statewide:

1:30 p.m. update: 18,645 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 51,004 are without power.

2 p.m. update: 59,136 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 97,115 are without power.

2:30 p.m. update: 59,585 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 105,390 are without power.

3 p.m. update: 60,681 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 106,400 are without power.

3:30 p.m. update: 27,074 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 84,510 are without power.

4 p.m. update: 24,745 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 86,430 are without power.

4:30 p.m. update: 22,541 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 86,663 are without power.

5 p.m. update: 22,082 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 95,694 are without power.

5:30 p.m. update: 22,199 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 99,989 are without power.

6 p.m. update: 21,835 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 112,931 are without power.

6:30 p.m. update: 22,534 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 127,702 are without power.

7 p.m. update: 22,942 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 131,649 are without power.

7:30 p.m. update: 23,327 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 125,570 are without power.

8 p.m. update: 23,650 customers in Mecklenburg County are without power. Statewide, 125,719 are without power.

Duke Energy issued a storm alert Tuesday warning that weather conditions could affect how long it takes to restore power.

“Current weather conditions are limiting our ability to make significant progress on repairs to storm-damaged equipment in some areas,” the alert said. “Once these conditions improve and strong winds subside, crews will begin making repairs and assessing damage to help determine our initial estimated times of restoration for your community. Thank you for your patience.”

Duke Energy’s preparations for power outages

Before the storm, Duke Energy officials prepared for widespread outages and identified service areas that could be impacted, so that they could coordinate crews or contractors to help with restoration efforts if needed.

“There have been many severe weather systems across the nation in recent weeks. Duke Energy meteorologists have been tracking them, and our crews are prepared to respond if needed,” said Jason Hollifield, Carolinas Storm Director. “It is our priority to keep our customers informed and encourage them to prepare in advance.”

How to report a power outage

If your power does go out during the storm, there are multiple ways you can report it to Duke Energy:

  • Visit duke-energy.com.

  • Use the Duke Energy mobile app, available in the Apple Store or Google Play.

  • Text “OUT” to 57801

  • Call the automated outage-reporting system, at: 800-POWERON (800-769-3766).

To view Duke Energy power outages, visit outagemap.duke-energy.com.