Duke Energy confirmed on X that hundreds of power substations are offline across the Carolinas.
We initially reported on this unfolding power grid crisis Wednesday morning in a note titled Grid Apocalypse Hits Carolinas: 360 Substations Down, Power Restoration Could Take "Months," citing experts who warned, "It could take a very long time to restore power to everyone" due to shortages of transformers and other electrical equipment and critically low US stockpiles.
"Approximately 370 substations were out of service from the storm in the Duke Energy Carolinas service area. For those that were damaged and can't be repaired in a timely manner – mobile substations will be installed to allow us to restore service as soon as it is safe to do so," Duke wrote on X.
Approximately 370 substations were out of service from the storm in the Duke Energy Carolinas service area. For those that were damaged and can’t be repaired in a timely manner – mobile substations will be installed to allow us to restore service as soon as it is safe to do so. pic.twitter.com/RcQkR9Gmlt
— Duke Energy (@DukeEnergy) October 2, 2024
Bill Norton, a spokesperson with Duke Energy, noted, "With water levels coming down, we are starting to see some of this damage. We had entire substations that were under water."
"With water levels coming down, we are starting to see some of this damage. We had entire substations that were under water." - @DE_BillNorton on damage assessments in Asheville, N.C. @WLOS_13 https://t.co/e8ebZ3rtmY. pic.twitter.com/Ll9x8EKFCK
— Duke Energy (@DukeEnergy) October 2, 2024
As of Thursday morning, Poweroutage.US data shows nearly a million power outages across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia.
We first reported the substation dilemma on Wednseday. The shortage of transformers and other grid components could leave parts of Western North Carolina without power for weeks, if not, in some cases, months.
Grid Apocalypse Hits Carolinas: 360 Substations Down, Power Restoration Could Take "Months" https://t.co/P6ExCddO7R
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) October 2, 2024
Jesse D. Jenkins, an assistant professor and macro-energy systems engineering and policy expert at Princeton University, warned on X,
"This is devastating. We do NOT have 360 substations worth of transformers and other electrical equipment sitting in stockpiles waiting to be deployed. It could take a very long time to restore power to everyone. Are we facing a Hurricane Maria-type impact on grid infrastructure?"
This is devastating. We do NOT have 360 substations worth of transformers and other electrical equipment sitting in stockpiles waiting to be deployed. It could take a very long time to restore power to everyone. Are we facing a Hurricane Maria-type impact on grid infrastructure? https://t.co/k0Wli7XlEf
— Jesse D. Jenkins (@JesseJenkins) September 30, 2024
Making matters worse for residents of North Carolina, some X users are pointing out the Biden-Harris administration supplied transformers to Ukraine. It needs to be clarified if these transformers were drained from US stockpiles.
We do not have this equipment readily available because we have shipped large quantities of transformers and other electrical equipment to Ukraine. Both our military and non-military support for Ukraine has left us less prepared for domestic disasters like Hurricane Helene: https://t.co/cOct3JkcVU pic.twitter.com/laVtNIuCoa
— Dan Caldwell 🇺🇸 (@dandcaldwell) October 1, 2024
The destruction in Western North Carolina is shocking.
My friend went to Chimney Rock to help with the ground effort recovery. He just sent me videos. The town is gone. And this is what it looks like across dozens of mountain communities.
— Ella Dorsey (@Ella__Dorsey) October 2, 2024
Helene is officially the 2nd deadliest hurricane in the last 50 years. pic.twitter.com/98qqeXoSCh
Chimney Rock, North Carolina obliterated by flash flood from remnants of Hurricane Helene. 😮
— Michael Evon (@EvonDesign) September 28, 2024
Highway 9 Before and After pic.twitter.com/vLGIOh4xsz
To understand how difficult the Rescue Missions in the impacted areas of NC, TN and surround areas.
— Lou 🫦 (@LouAZMerrijul) October 2, 2024
Here’s a Video of an ATV driving into Chimney Rock, NC. I tried to find by the time and curves of the “road” approximately location on the map.
Utter Devastation.
Video… pic.twitter.com/uo9OmlfZS2
The devastation caused by #HurricaneHelene in North Carolina is heartbreaking. In this video, you’ll see the hard-hit areas of Bat Cave, Chimney Rock, and Lake Lure, showing the full impact on homes and landscapes.
— Nearmap (@nearmap) October 3, 2024
Learn more about Nearmap ImpactResponse: https://t.co/ROtZb2uuNO pic.twitter.com/trZAxg6ZZQ
Meanwhile, AP News reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not have enough funding to last through the hurricane season.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody told Fox News that everyone should be outraged about Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas' comment on Wednseday about FEMA not having enough hurricane funding.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 3, 2024
And why is that? Well, the Biden-Harris team drained FEMA funds to support their globalist ...
FEMA’s inability to respond to Hurricane Helene highlights the catastrophic consequences of the Biden-Harris regime's immigration debacle. Millions of illegal migrants, welcomed by Harris’ open-border policies, have diverted critical FEMA resources (almost $2 billion over two… pic.twitter.com/DMaZqnUSgk
— @amuse (@amuse) October 2, 2024
Folks should be outraged that the Biden-Harris team has prioritized Ukraine and illegal aliens over their own citizens.
$200 billion more to Ukraine
— Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 News (@DonaldTNews) October 3, 2024
$2,500 per month to illegal aliens
$750 to Americans who lost everything in Hurricane Helene
Imagine voting for more of this. Share so all Americans see this. pic.twitter.com/UGMLpSlH3g
