ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Local government has issued a utility guide for North Carolina District 11 in the wake of the Hurricane Helene disaster.

Power

Duke Energy is working to restore power to 284,ooo of its customers in Western North Carolina. 360 of the power company’s substations were damaged by Hurricane Helene. 82% of these, or 295 substations, have had their power restored already. The rest remain to be repaired.

Despite those numbers, Duke Energy has not wavered on their estimated date of power restoration. “Most customers” in W.N.C. should expect their power to be back on by Friday, Oct. 4.

Duke Energy has a map of their outages available online here.

Generators and other aid tools are being moved to the areas most affected by the devastation. If you have a generator of your own, Duke Energy recommends the following safety tips:

  • Do not try to install a generator without the help of a licensed electrician
  • Plug appliances directly into a generator. Do not plug the generator into a fuse box.
  • Obey state, local and federal fire and electricity laws
  • Keep gasoline in gasoline-safe containers out of the reach of children
  • Keep generators out of the reach of children
  • Keep a fully-functioning fire extinguisher ready at all times in case of an emergency
  • Never replenish fuel while a generator is running
  • Operate your generator outside, not in a building or garage.

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