Duke Energy Restores Power to Thousands as 115,000 Remain Without Electricity After Ohio Storms

Severe thunderstorms and a suspected tornado struck central Ohio and the Cincinnati region on August 11, leaving over 180,000 Duke Energy customers without power at peak. By August 12 morning, crews had restored service to thousands, but 115,000 customers remained in the dark. Fallen trees, broken poles, and damaged equipment continue to slow restoration efforts, and additional severe weather is forecast for August 13.

Outages span three states across a 70-mile stretch

Power went out for over 170,000 Duke Energy customers along a 70-mile corridor from Weisburg, Indiana to Russellville, Ohio after high winds and thunderstorms hit around 3 p.m. on August 11. About 141,000 Ohio customers lost power, along with more than 30,000 in Kentucky and 3,000 in Indiana. Major clusters centered around Hyde Park (15,000 customers), Mount Airy (10,000), Norwood (4,000), and south of Newtown (6,000).

In Columbus, about 100,000 customers lost power. As of 5:30 a.m. August 12, 63,000 Franklin County AEP customers remained without power, plus almost 2,000 in Licking County, almost 3,000 in Perry County, and 1,200 in Fairfield County.

Restoration efforts face weather and infrastructure damage

Duke Energy spokesman John Juech said crews have restored power to thousands of customers, but fallen trees, broken poles, and damaged equipment continue to slow restoration efforts. As of 10:20 a.m. August 12, Hamilton County had the most outages with over 59,000 customers without power, followed by Clermont County with over 23,000 and Northern Kentucky with over 20,000. Brown County had over 8,000 outages, with more than 60% of tracked customers without electricity in that county.

Duke Energy reported no estimated restoration times as repair and damage assessments remain underway. Customers can report outages by calling 1.800.543.5599 or texting “OUT” to 57801.

Suspected tornado and additional storms complicate recovery

A tornado was suspected to have touched down between the Ohio State University campus and Dublin on the morning of August 11, but surveyors could not confirm it until August 12 or 13 due to continuous storms. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Licking County overnight, warning that the South Fork Licking River near Interstate 70 and Buckeye Lake may flood its banks.

More severe weather is possible on August 13, with a 70% chance of precipitation all day. Additional storms could cause more outages and further slow restoration efforts. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said on August 11 that damage was “devastating” and recovery could take until the following week.

Safety precautions for customers in affected areas

Duke Energy urges customers to stay away from fallen or sagging power lines and to consider all lines energized. If a power line falls across a vehicle, occupants should remain inside unless facing immediate danger like fire. Customers can receive outage status updates by texting “REG” to 57801 or signing up online at duke-energy.com/outagealerts.

Generators should only be operated outdoors in well-ventilated, dry areas away from air intakes to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Customers should never operate generators indoors or in attached garages.

Final Thoughts

With 115,000 customers still without power and severe weather forecast for August 13, Duke Energy faces a prolonged recovery. Investors should monitor restoration timelines and potential costs from infrastructure damage across the three-state region.

FAQs

Disclaimer:

The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes.  Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.