LIGHTS OUT: Could be days before all have power back

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Cold and powerless. That’s the situation in thousands of homes around our area, as families wonder when will their lights come back on.

Duke Energy Progress says southeastern North Carolina was one of the hardest hit places.

“I was washing the dishes and heard a big thump,” Shelley Zacek of Brunswick County said. “I came outside to see what was going on, and the power lines are down.”

Power has been out in her neighborhood Since 10 a.m. Wednesday.

“It sounded like a gun shot went off,” Tim Middlesworth said.

With the lights off and no where to go, the Zacek family has kept busy playing cards, but they decided today it was time to get some fresh air.

“It was to get out of the house and go to the mall, where there is warmth and power,” Zacek said.

With thousands of customers still powerless, Duke Energy Progress says it is doing its best to restore electricity as quickly as possible.

“This will be a multi-day outage, because of the severity of it, so we ask for customers patience,” Duke Energy Progress spokesman Dave Scanzoni said.

But for people without heat, that is easier said than done.

“If there is anything I can do to help, I’ll do it,” Middlesworth said. “Anything to get the power back on.”

Duke Energy Progress has 4,000 crew members across the state working 18 hour days to turn the lights back on. Teams from South Carolina, Indiana and Ohio are also helping out.

“With all these extra crews and resources, we hope to make more progress,” Scanzoni said.

Duke Energy Progress says Tuesday 45 percent of customers in New Hanover County were without power along with 40 percent in Brunswick County. This afternoon it was down to less than 20 percent in New Hanover and 25 percent in Brunswick.