More than 1,000 additional workers joining restoration effort
Customers can begin viewing restoration estimates at 7 p.m. Wednesday

CINCINNATI, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past 24 hours, Duke Energy workers have restored power to more than 171,000 customers across Greater Cincinnati despite multiple rounds of severe weather, fallen trees, road closures and extensive damage to the electric system.

The following outage figures are as of 4 p.m. Wednesday. Refer to the Duke Energy Outage Map for up-to-date figures and, when available, estimated restoration times.

	OUTAGES RESTORED	CURRENT OUTAGES
OHIO	145,548	85,579
KENTUCKY	25,921	17,010
TOTAL	171,469	102,589

Note: Duke Energy serves about 765,000 electric customers in Ohio and 155,000 electric customers in Kentucky.

The latest

Despite multiple rounds of severe weather on Tuesday and Wednesday that caused additional outages and slowed restoration efforts, crews continue to make steady progress while working through fallen trees, blocked roads, damaged poles and extensive damage to the electric system.
More than 1,000 additional lineworkers, tree trimmers, damage assessors and support personnel from outside Ohio and Kentucky are supporting the restoration effort or traveling to the region to assist.
Beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, many customers will be able to see when their power is expected to be restored by visiting Duke Energy's Outage Map. Because of the extensive damage in some areas, restoration estimates for some outages may not be available immediately.
Damage assessments remain ongoing. As workers gain access to damaged infrastructure and complete assessments, restoration plans and estimated restoration times will continue to be updated.

Our view

Andy Cassidy, Duke Energy storm director:

"Our crews have made significant progress under extremely challenging conditions, but we still have substantial work ahead of us.
"We're pulling in more than 1,000 additional workers to support this restoration effort. They'll work alongside our employees and contractors in Ohio and Kentucky to safely restore service for our customers as quickly as possible.
"We're also reaching a point where we can begin providing estimated restoration times for many outages. We know customers want information about when their power will be restored, and we're working to provide that information as quickly as possible. We appreciate their continued patience as damage assessments continue."

What's next

Lineworkers, tree crews and damage assessors will continue working around the clock to repair and replace damaged equipment, clear debris and restore service.
Restoration work is progressing across the region, with many customers already restored and thousands more expected to regain service soon. Some outages, particularly those involving broken poles, downed lines or significant equipment damage, may require more time to repair.
Duke Energy restores power using a process designed to return service to the greatest number of customers as quickly and safely as possible while prioritizing facilities that support public health and safety.
As damage assessments continue, Duke Energy will communicate updates – including estimated restoration times – to customers through the company's Outage Alerts and its Outage Map.
Customers can also stay informed through the Duke Energy mobile app.

What customers should expect

Stay safe: Stay away from downed or sagging power lines and anything they're touching, operate generators safely and follow other post-storm tips.
Report hazards: Call 911 and Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky at 800.543.5599.
Keep roads clear: Move over for first responders and utility trucks and treat intersections with nonworking signals as four-way stops.

Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky

Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky, subsidiaries of Duke Energy, provide electric service to 920,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in a 3,000-square-mile service area, and natural gas service to 563,000 customers in a 2,650-square-mile service area, in Ohio and Kentucky.

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 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.

More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy