Duke Energy restores power to 131,000 following Fern, offers tips as colder weather continues to drive high energy use

Rhea-AI Summary

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) crews repaired equipment and restored power to 131,059 Carolinas customers as of 2 p.m. ET on Jan. 26, 2026, while about 21,976 customers remained without power.

Most outages are expected to be restored the same day, though some hard‑hit areas along the Blue Ridge Escarpment (Hendersonville, Travelers Rest, Clemson) may not be restored until Tuesday due to road and equipment damage. Duke serves about 4.7 million electric customers in the Carolinas and offered energy‑saving tips as colder‑than‑normal weather increases heating use.

Positive

• Restored power to 131,059 Carolinas customers by 2 p.m. Jan. 26
• Majority of outages expected to be restored same day

Negative

• 21,976 Carolinas customers remained without power as of 2 p.m. Jan. 26
• Isolated extensive equipment damage may delay service until Tuesday

News Market Reaction – DUK

+1.15%

+1.15% Session close to close

In the Jan 26 session, DUK gained 1.15%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement details Duke Energy’s progress restoring power to over 131,000 Carolinas customers...

Analysis

This announcement details Duke Energy’s progress restoring power to over 131,000 Carolinas customers after Winter Storm Fern and offers practical efficiency tips as cold weather persists. It follows earlier winter communications about preparation and bill management. Historically, similar customer-focused and storm-related updates have produced modest, directionally aligned stock moves. Investors may watch upcoming regulatory filings, funding activity under the $4,000,000,000 PremierNotes program, and further storm-related cost disclosures.

Key Figures

Power restored: 131,000 customers Customers without power: 21,976 customers NC outages restored: 93,609 customers +5 more

8 metrics

Power restored 131,000 customers Carolinas customers restored after Winter Storm Fern as of Jan. 26, 2 p.m.

Customers without power 21,976 customers Total Carolinas customers still without power as of Jan. 26, 2 p.m.

NC outages restored 93,609 customers North Carolina customers whose power was restored by Jan. 26, 2 p.m.

SC outages restored 37,450 customers South Carolina customers whose power was restored by Jan. 26, 2 p.m.

Carolinas electric customers 4.7 million Electric customers served in the Carolinas (3.8M NC, ~860,000 SC)

NC electric customers 3.8 million Electric customers served in North Carolina

SC electric customers 860,000 Electric customers served in South Carolina

Owned capacity 55,100 megawatts Total energy capacity owned across Duke Energy’s electric utilities

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 22 (Negative)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Jan 22	Storm outage warning	Negative	-1.4%	Warned Carolinas customers of possible multiday outages from Winter Storm Fern.
Jan 16	Customer cost tips	Positive	+0.3%	Piedmont Natural Gas shared tools and tips to manage higher winter heating bills.
Jan 16	Energy-saving programs	Positive	+0.3%	Promoted smart-thermostat credits and programs to reduce winter energy usage and costs.
Jan 15	Governance agreement	Neutral	+0.3%	Matthews International reached standstill agreement with activist Barington Capital.
Jan 14	Storm cost recovery	Positive	+0.2%	Duke Energy Florida removed storm cost recovery charge one month early, lowering bills.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent operational and customer-focused releases have generally seen small, directionally aligned price moves, with a larger decline only when highlighting potential multiday storm outages.

Recent Company History

Over recent weeks, Duke Energy’s news flow has centered on winter weather operations and customer bill management. On Jan. 22, 2026, the company warned Carolinas customers about potential multiday outages from Winter Storm Fern, and the stock moved -1.39%. Earlier in mid-January, Duke and its Piedmont unit highlighted programs and tips to lower winter energy costs, with modest positive reactions around +0.27%. A Duke Energy Florida update on storm cost recovery and bill reductions on Jan. 14 saw a +0.19% move.

Key Terms

rolling outages, megawatts

2 terms

rolling outages technical

"It mentions rolling outages and includes a link. That message did not come"

Temporary, planned interruptions of electricity service to different areas in sequence to prevent widespread blackouts; think of it like rotating water shutoffs so the whole system doesn’t fail. Investors care because these outages can disrupt business operations, reduce sales, delay production and shipments, injure consumer confidence, and signal strain on infrastructure or regulation that may affect a company’s revenues and costs.

megawatts technical

"and collectively own 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas"

A megawatt is a measure of electrical power equal to one million watts, describing how much electricity a plant or device can generate or use at a single moment. Investors use megawatts to compare the size and earning potential of energy projects—larger capacity usually means more electricity to sell—much like comparing the horsepower of engines to judge how much work they can do. Knowing megawatts helps assess scale, revenue potential, and grid impact of energy assets.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy crews are repairing damaged equipment and restoring service to customers across the Carolinas after Winter Storm Fern – and the company is offering simple ways for those with power to manage energy use as cold weather lingers.

Power restoration
Duke Energy restored power to more than 131,000 Carolinas customers as of 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26.

Nearly 22,000 customers are without power as of 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26.

• Most customer outages resulting from Winter Storm Fern will be restored today. Some outages, especially in the hardest-hit areas where road conditions are hindering crews, may extend into Tuesday.

The following outage figures are as of 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26. Refer to the Duke Energy Outage Map for up-to-date figures broken out by county.

	OUTAGES RESTORED	CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER
NORTH CAROLINA	93,609	10,554
SOUTH CAROLINA	37,450	11,422
TOTAL	131,059	21,976

Duke Energy serves about 4.7 million electric customers in the Carolinas – about 3.8 million in North Carolina and nearly 860,000 in South Carolina.

Rick Canavan, Duke Energy storm director:

• "Our crews are on track to restore most outages by tonight. We're seeing isolated pockets of more extensive equipment damage along the Blue Ridge Escarpment – in places like Hendersonville, Travelers Rest and Clemson – so some customers in those areas may not have service restored until Tuesday."
• "I also want to make customers aware of a text message scam that's circulating and targeting utility customers. It mentions rolling outages and includes a link. That message did not come from Duke Energy; please avoid clicking the link."
• "Thank you for your patience and cooperation as crews continue their work."

Energy efficiency tips
As Duke Energy crews restore service across the Carolinas, customers with power will likely use more energy this week as colder‑than‑normal temperatures push heating systems to run longer, which can lead to higher bills.

A few small changes can help reduce the impact of cold weather for customers – without affecting comfort:

• Set thermostats to the lowest comfortable setting – even a small drop saves energy.
• Check air filters to keep systems running efficiently.
• Open blinds and curtains on sunny days to warm spaces naturally, then close them at night to hold heat.
• Run ceiling fans clockwise to push warm air down.

More energy efficiency tips: duke-energy.com/WinterEnergySavings.

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, keeping customer reliability and value at the forefront as it builds a smarter energy future. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables and energy storage.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

 

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SOURCE Duke Energy

FAQ

How many customers did Duke Energy (DUK) restore after Winter Storm Fern on Jan. 26, 2026?

Duke Energy restored power to 131,059 Carolinas customers as of 2 p.m. ET on Jan. 26, 2026.

How many Duke Energy (DUK) customers remained without power after Winter Storm Fern on Jan. 26, 2026?

About 21,976 customers in the Carolinas were without power as of 2 p.m. ET on Jan. 26, 2026.

Which areas may see delayed restoration from Duke Energy (DUK) after Winter Storm Fern?

Isolated pockets along the Blue Ridge Escarpment, including Hendersonville, Travelers Rest, and Clemson, may not be restored until Tuesday.

What energy‑saving tips did Duke Energy (DUK) offer during colder‑than‑normal weather?

Tips include setting thermostats to the lowest comfortable setting, checking air filters, opening blinds on sunny days, and running ceiling fans clockwise.

How many electric customers does Duke Energy (DUK) serve in the Carolinas?

Duke Energy serves about 4.7 million electric customers in the Carolinas (≈3.8M in NC, ≈860K in SC).