### Duke Energy Works to Restore Power in South Carolina after Tropical Storm Helene

Duke Energy aims to restore power to most of its customers in the Carolinas by the weekend, following the impact of Tropical Storm Helene that hit the region a week ago. As of 4 p.m. on October 3, about 219,000 customers, representing roughly one-fifth of the company's customer base in South Carolina, are still without power, according to an official statement from the electric company.

Efforts are underway to restore electricity to 134,000 customers by midnight on October 4. However, approximately 85,000 customers might remain without power until October 6, based on current projections. Duke Energy is attempting to gather more precise information for customers who will experience extended outages, aiming to provide updates by the end of the weekend. The primary objective remains to restore power to all who can receive it, according to spokesman Ryan Mosier.

The restoration process is complicated by the fact that those with damage to their electric meters or other non-Duke Energy maintained wiring will need to hire electricians or other professionals to complete the necessary repairs. These households are not included in the company's outage counts. Mosier clarified that the responsibility for the power line ends at the meter box; anything beyond it falls under homeowner responsibility.

While Duke Energy did not specify particular areas that will receive power sooner or later, a power outage map highlights significant outages in Laurens and Greenwood counties. Cities like Clinton in Laurens County have advised residents that building inspectors must review reassembled meters before power restoration can proceed.

To cope with the extensive damage, Duke Energy and other utility companies have established multiple staging sites to coordinate their thousands of crew members dedicated to repairing the power grid in South Carolina. The overarching mission is to bring back stability and power to the affected regions as quickly and efficiently as possible.