DUKE POWER'S RESPONSE TO HURRICANE IVAN HAMPERED IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Duke Power’s response efforts in western North Carolina are hampered by treacherous conditions in the mountain counties.  Flooded roads and mudslides are prohibiting many crews from assessing damage to power lines caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan. 

Crews are in the field assessing damage in other areas of the Duke Power service territory and early reports are of broken poles, sagging power lines and significant damage from fallen trees.  Once damage assessments are completed, Duke Power will be able to provide estimated times of power restoration to customers.

Duke Power is moving additional personnel to the areas with the greatest damage. When the weather permits, Duke Power will use helicopters to perform damage assessments.

Individuals living along lakes, rivers and other low-lying and flood prone areas should pay close attention to local media and emergency management officials for changing weather conditions and necessary actions to protect property and plan for potential evacuation.

To ensure public safety, local officials may ask Duke Power to disconnect electric power to those neighborhoods affected by flooding. Duke Power will attempt to notify customers in advance of disconnecting power, if at all possible. The company will continue to monitor conditions and re-connect power for these customers when local officials indicate that it is safe to do so. We appreciate our customers’ patience and cooperation during this time. (In some cases, disconnections are made to prevent damage to electrical equipment.)

For updated lake level information, go to dukepower.com or call Duke Power’s Lake Neighbor Information line at 1-800-829-Lake (5253).  Customers in the Nantahala area should call 1-866-332-5253.

Duke Power customers experiencing a power outage should call 1-800-POWERON; Spanish-speaking customers should call 1-866-4APAGON (1-866-427-2466).  Customers in the Nantahala area should call their local Duke Power office.

Duke Power, a business unit of Duke Energy, is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities and provides safe, reliable, competitively priced electricity and value-added products and services to more than 2 million customers in North Carolina and South Carolina. In 2004, Duke Power celebrates 100 years of service. The company operates three nuclear generating stations, eight coal-fired stations, 31 hydroelectric stations and numerous combustion turbine units. Total system generating capability is approximately 19,900 megawatts. More information about Duke Power is available on the Internet at: www.dukepower.com.

Duke Energy is a diversified energy company with a portfolio of natural gas and electric businesses, both regulated and unregulated, and an affiliated real estate company. Duke Energy supplies, delivers and processes energy for customers in North America and selected international markets. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at:  www.duke-energy.com.

Total Duke Power System Outages as of 9:26 a.m., Sept. 17, 2004

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