Duke Energy Outage Map (2024)

FAQs

Can you shower when the power is out? ›

Most plumbing does not require electricity so thankfully your toilet will still work! The downside to a power outage is that if you have to shower, keep it short! The water heater only holds so much hot water and some citywide systems use electricity to pump sewage to facilities so it could get backed up quickly.

Understanding our claims policy and process

To evaluate your claim fairly and respond promptly, we'll need you to provide certain information and documentation. Be aware that Duke Energy is not responsible for food loss, power outages, voltage fluctuations or property damage caused by acts of nature.

The outage map also includes detailed information about specific outages, such as the cause and estimated time of restoration. Alternatively, you can also call their customer service number at 1-800-DIAL DWP (800-342-5397) to find out if there is an existing power outage in your area.

Depending on the amount of water remaining in the pipes, you might be able to flush your toilet several times while the power is out. Eventually, however, your tank won't fill up anymore because the pumps are down. When this happens, you will need to flush your toilet manually by pouring in a bucket of water.

If you have a fireplace in your home, you're in luck! You can easily use it to boil water without any gas or electricity. Simply start up a fire and wait until there's a nice bed of coals. Then, fill a pot or a metal kettle with water and set it in the coals.

If a customer misses their due date, they will be eligible for disconnection and a disconnection date is assigned. If a customer cannot make their payment by this date, they can request a Disconnect Date Extension to move their disconnection date out a few additional days.

A little flexibility when you need a few extra days to pay.

Extend your payment due date by up to 10 business days to avoid late fees.

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. If the doors stay closed, food will stay safe for up to: 4 hours in a refrigerator. 48 hours in a full freezer; 24 hours in a half-full freezer.

Televisions, computer equipment, game consoles, fans, lights and all other smaller appliances should be unplugged, especially if they were in use when the power went out. Larger appliances, such as refrigerators, should not be unplugged.

Outages typically last 1-2 hours.

How long does a power cut last? ›

Planned power cuts and how they work

Each planned power outage is likely to last around three hours, and in emergency cases, this could be longer. You'll be contacted before it's planned, with the details of the time when the power will be cut.

If no switches are tripped, but you still don't have power, you may need to replace the circuit breaker or breaker box; this can be an indication of either faulty wiring or a mechanical fault with the breaker switch.

Well, the shower system itself does not really consume electricity. It's the water you heat to take a hot shower that consumes electricity. Let's say the water you receive at home is at 10°C (50°F), and you want to take a shower at 38°C (100°F). The amount of energy to heat water is 4.18 kJ/L/°C.

All water heaters use electricity for some of their functions. Natural gas based water heaters generate their own electricity, but electricity-based water heaters must have the power supplied. No power means no hot water. If you have heated water in a tank, it may stay warm for a little while after the power goes out.

You have standard gravity-flush toilets. They aren't directly affected when the power goes out, provided water is still flowing and your waste system doesn't rely on electricity. As long as the water disappears down the drain and the tank refills, there's no reason not to flush.

A 9 kW shower, for example, uses 9 kilowatt-hours of energy if run for a full hour. But of course, most people don't shower for an entire hour. If you typically shower for about 15 minutes, you're using roughly a quarter of that energy.