Duke Energy crews are actively working to restore power across the St. Petersburg area as Hurricane Helene moves north, the utility provider reported on Thursday afternoon.
As of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, power has been restored to approximately 42,000 structures. Around 8,000 personnel are stationed at various locations throughout the state, including:
- St. Pete College – Tarpon Springs
- Tropicana Field
- Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport
- Jefferson County Greyhound Track
- Perry-Foley Airport
- Suwannee Valley Farmers Market
- The Villages
“We have restored power where conditions permit, but we have not yet experienced the storm’s full impact,” said Duke Energy Storm Director Todd Fountain.
“We expect the most severe damage to occur in the Panhandle and Big Bend areas, likely resulting in prolonged outages. Please prioritize your safety.”
Residents can report power outages by texting “OUT” to 57801, calling (800) 228-8485, or using the online reporting tool or mobile app.
Ahead of Helene’s landfall, the Tampa Office of Emergency Management has also established reporting options for storm damage and power outages throughout the region.
Residents can report outages, downed lines, or safety issues by calling (877) 588-1010, using the TECO Outage Map, or texting “OUT” to 27079.
For fallen trees, traffic light outages, street flooding, or debris, residents can call (813) 274-3101 or use the Resident Damage Self-Reporting Form.
“Restoring power after a storm can be extremely challenging due to high winds and flooding,” Duke Energy noted.
“Our technicians cannot operate bucket trucks in excessive winds. Once the storm passes and wind speeds fall below 40 miles per hour, crews will begin assessing damage and making repairs to estimate restoration times.”
