RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Progress Energy has restored power to more than 97 percent of its customers in North Carolina who suffered a power outage as a result of Tropical Storm Ernesto, and the company expects to complete the power restoration process today.
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As of 10 a.m., Progress Energy reports 1,500 customers without power in North Carolina as a result of Tropical Storm Ernesto. The number of customers without power at any one time peaked at about 63,000 between 6 and 7 a.m. Friday. However, the total number of customers affected overall by the storm was much higher, since workers were making repairs in southeastern North Carolina even as Ernesto was creating new outages farther north and inland.
Progress Energy crews are working to restore service as quickly as possible. Progress Energy has a work force of more than 1,000 workers -- including company and contract line & service crews and contract tree crews -- working in storm restoration, representing more than twice the normal complement. The company expects to restore power to the remaining customers whose homes are capable of receiving electricity later today.
Customers are asked to call 1-800-419-6356 to report an outage.
Customers out by county as of 10 a.m.
Beaufort 5
Carteret 1
Columbus 1
Craven 84
Cumberland 59
Duplin 29
Edgecombe 7
Franklin 127
Greene 12
Halifax 2
Johnston 7
Lenoir 11
Nash 80
New Hanover 86
Onslow 18
Pamlico 31
Pender 67
Pitt 2
Sampson 32
Vance 112
Wake 669
Warren 45
Wayne 26
Wilson 1
Progress Energy, headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 250 diversified energy company with more than 23,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $10 billion in annual revenues. The company's holdings include two electric utilities serving approximately 3 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. Progress Energy also includes nonregulated operations covering energy marketing and natural gas exploration. Progress Energy is the 2006 recipient of the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Award, the industry's highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence. In 2005, the company also received the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for dedication, commitment and sustained improvement in customer service. For more information about Progress Energy, visit the company's Web site at progress-energy.com.
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