News Summary
Duke Energy Florida has completed the Ulmerton Storm Staging Site to enhance storm response efficiency, replacing temporary sites. This initiative aims to improve power restoration speed for storm-affected customers. Following Hurricane Milton, the company received the Edison Electric Institute Emergency Response Award for its effective recovery efforts. Duke Energy is also preparing for the 2025 hurricane season while investing in infrastructure and community support, totaling $910,000 in disaster readiness contributions for the year.
St. Petersburg – Duke Energy Florida has officially completed its new Ulmerton Storm Staging Site, a dedicated location designed to enhance the efficiency of storm response efforts. This permanent site replaces previous temporary arrangements utilized at Tropicana Field, St. Pete College, and the former Wagon Wheel Flea Market.
The establishment of the Ulmerton site is expected to significantly improve the speed at which power restoration occurs for customers impacted by storms. President Melissa Seixas outlined that this new staging area will streamline operations, contributing to quicker recovery times.
In addition to completing the Ulmerton facility, Duke Energy Florida has also been honored with the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) Emergency Response Award, recognizing the company’s exceptional recovery efforts following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Milton. The EEI awards celebrate the hard work of electric utilities in restoring service following extreme weather events.
The award highlights Duke Energy Florida’s successful mobilization of 16,000 resources after Hurricane Milton, which enabled the restoration of 95% of 1 million reported outages within approximately 96 hours. The recovery efforts involved considerable restoration work, including the replacement of 1,640 damaged power poles, 1,350 transformers, and nearly 1 million feet of wire and cable.
A key factor in the rapid recovery was the deployment of the company’s self-healing technology, which is accessible to around 80% of customers. This technology played a significant role in averting an estimated 300,000 outages and saving approximately 3.3 million hours of power downtime during the hurricane.
Continuing Preparedness Efforts
As the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, Duke Energy Florida is actively preparing to ensure customer safety and reliability. This preparation aligns with the company’s ongoing investment in its energy infrastructure aimed at enhancing reliability and minimizing restoration times year-round. The latest storms, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton, prompted the mobilization of nearly 25,000 workers and resources for effective response.
Community Support and Contributions
Duke Energy Foundation has announced $350,000 in additional donations directed towards Florida nonprofits as part of its commitment to community support post-Hurricane Milton. This financial assistance brings the total contribution for disaster readiness and response in Florida to $910,000 for the year. The foundation focuses its efforts on various community initiatives, such as food security and providing financial aid to students.
Infrastructure Improvements
Duke Energy has been diligently advancing infrastructure developments, including investments in self-healing technology and grid hardening. These improvements are critical for quickly identifying outages and rerouting power to prevent widespread disruptions during adverse weather conditions. The company’s commitment to enhancing its energy grid reliability continues to evolve with the changing climate.
Duke Energy Florida operates in a service area covering 13,000 square miles and supplies electricity to approximately 2 million customers, with a firm emphasis on transitioning towards cleaner energy solutions. The company remains focused on enhancing the reliability of its energy distribution across the state.
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Additional Resources
- Duke Energy Florida Receives Emergency Response Award
- Wikipedia: Hurricane Season
- Duke Energy Florida Reflects on Hurricane Anniversaries
- Google Search: Hurricane Milton
- Duke Energy Foundation Donates for Hurricane Relief
- Google Scholar: Disaster Response
- Duke Energy Prepares for Hurricane Season 2025
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Hurricane Preparedness
- Duke Energy Files for Hurricane Response Costs
- Google News: Duke Energy
Author: STAFF HERE PETERSBURG WRITER
ST PETERSBURG STAFF WRITER The ST PETERSBURG STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREStPetersburg.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in St Petersburg, Pinellas County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Localtopia, and SHINE Mural Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and St. Pete Downtown Partnership, plus leading businesses in finance, manufacturing, and healthcare that power the local economy such as Raymond James Financial, Jabil, and Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREJacksonville.com, HEREOrlando.com, HERETallahassee.com, and HERETampa.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Florida's dynamic landscape.
