Duke Energy Florida reported that in 2025, customers experienced the shortest average outage duration per customer in over 20 years, with outages averaging about 64 minutes. This figure does not include time lost due to major events such as named storms. The company credits this improvement to ongoing efforts aimed at strengthening the electric grid throughout the state.
The utility has invested in several initiatives, including upgrading wooden power poles to concrete or steel versions designed to withstand high winds. Around 60% of Duke Energy Florida’s transmission poles have been upgraded over the past five years, with plans to complete these enhancements by 2028. In addition, approximately half of the company’s distribution system now operates underground, which helps reduce outages caused by fallen trees and makes equipment more accessible during repairs.
Another significant investment is smart, self-healing technology that detects outages automatically and reroutes power when possible. This technology currently serves about 82% of Duke Energy Florida’s two million customers and helped avoid roughly 280,000 extended outages in 2025 alone. During the previous year’s hurricane season, it saved millions of outage hours for customers during Hurricane Milton (3.3 million hours), Hurricane Helene (1.8 million hours), and Hurricane Debby (208,000 hours).
Melissa Seixas, state president for Duke Energy Florida, commented on these measures: “Thankfully, Mother Nature spared us last year, but living in Florida, we know it’s not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ the next storm is coming,” she said. “This work is designed to significantly improve reliability and help keep the lights on for our customers when they need it most.”
Duke Energy Florida supplies electricity to two million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a service area covering 13,000 square miles in Florida and owns an energy capacity of 12,300 megawatts.
Parent company Duke Energy is among America’s largest energy holding companies and serves electric utilities customers across six states while owning a total energy capacity of nearly 54,800 megawatts nationwide.
More information about Duke Energy can be found at duke-energy.com and its News Center.
