One million customers across the Sunshine State are waking up to a dark morning as Hurricane Helene, a category 4 storm, leaves a trail of devastation in its wake. Major utility providers, including FPL and Duke Energy, are working tirelessly to restore power and bring life back to normal.
Widespread Power Outages
The impact of Hurricane Helene has been enormous, with more than one million customers reporting power outages across Florida. According to utility data, nearly 10 percent of the state’s tracked electricity users have been affected, a figure which stands at approximately 1,067,192 customers as of 10:15 A.M.
The most impacted areas are served by Duke Energy and Florida Power & Light (FPL), two of the state’s major electricity providers. Duke Energy reports 367,876 outages, while FPL has confirmed 193,180 outages.
Restoration Efforts Underway
FPL has already restored power to more than 460,000 customers since the landfall of Hurricane Helene. In a massive mobilization effort, the company has deployed over 10,000 personnel from 23 states, stationed at 14 sites, to expedite restoration.
FPL President and CEO Armando Pimentel assures customers, “We will not stop until your lights are back on.” Duke Energy, too, has made significant progress, with its team of 8,000 workers restoring power to nearly 198,000 customers as of 7:30 a.m.
Devastation Across the State
Beyond the major providers, smaller regional utilities and urban areas are also grappling with disruptions. Central Florida Electric Cooperative reports 36,690 customers without power, while Gainesville Regional Utilities has 49,261 customers affected. Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative is dealing with near-total outages, with 28,848 of its 28,891 customers impacted.
In Tallahassee, more than 45,000 customers are without power, and in Jacksonville, JEA reports 90,211 outages. As of the latest update, Pinellas county has 227,544 residents without power.
Hurricane Helene made landfall late Thursday night in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 storm, bringing with it sustained winds of 140 mph and a catastrophic storm surge that threatened the Gulf Coast.
As Florida reels under the impact of Hurricane Helene, the most severe danger continues to be a life-threatening storm surge. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has described the scenario as “catastrophic,” urging residents to take immediate shelter from the storm’s destructive winds and flooding potential. It warns that Helene will soon be entering southeastern Georgia, carrying with it catastrophic winds and a life-threatening situation.
Meanwhile, the state’s utility providers are working round-the-clock to restore power. Despite significant progress, the task ahead is immense. As we continue to track the aftermath of this devastating event, all we can do is hope for a swift recovery for the Sunshine State.
