Progress Energy Carolinas is preparing for a winter storm expected to dump significant ice and snow over much of the company’s service area Friday evening and Saturday. Crews from the Virginia state line to northeastern South Carolina and from the North Carolina mountains to the coast are preparing vehicles and materials to respond to outages that may occur as a result of the storm.



Crews from the company’s sister utility, Progress Energy Florida, are being moved into the region ahead of the storm to assist as needed in restoring service in heavily damaged areas.

Forecasts will continue to evolve as the storm system approaches. Progress Energy Carolinas is preparing for significant snowfall and the possibility of sleet and ice across much of its service area.

If the power goes out

The fastest way to report an outage is to call Progress Energy’s automated outage-reporting system at 800-419-6356 800-419-6356 . During and immediately following major storms, restoration times are difficult to predict. Progress Energy encourages customers to be prepared if an outage occurs. Customers with special needs who experience an outage should be prepared to seek alternate shelter until service is restored. Icy roadways also make restoration more difficult.

Safety

Progress Energy advises customers to take the following precautions:

Stay away from downed power lines. Keep children and pets away as well. Always assume downed lines are energized. Call 919-419-6356 919-419-6356 immediately if you see a downed line.

Do not stand under ice-laden limbs or power lines. Be on the lookout for falling ice.

Never use a generator indoors. Always follow manufacturer instructions.

Charge mobile phones in advance of the storm.

Keep at least one battery-powered flashlight where it can be located easily in the dark. Listen for storm information on a battery-powered radio. Keep an extra supply of fresh batteries.

Make sure you are adequately stocked with canned goods and bottled water.

Make sure any indoor heaters, such as wood stoves or kerosene heaters, have adequate ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Likewise, make sure the flue of your fireplace is working properly. Never use outdoor grills in the house.

Make sure you have adequate fuel on hand for supplementary heating sources, such as a fireplace, wood-burning stove or kerosene heater.



Progress Energy storm site

Customers can track outages and see other storm information at www.progress-energy.com/storm. Customers can follow Progress Energy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/progressenergy.

Restoring power

After severe weather, Progress Energy takes specific steps to restore power. Progress Energy crews first assess damage and determine what crews, equipment and supplies will be needed to make repairs. Because of this, customers may see damage assessors patrolling their neighborhoods before crews arrive to begin work.

Crews prioritize work to ensure the largest number of customers are restored as quickly as possible. Essential services such as hospitals and emergency responders have priority.