More than 13,000 households woke up without power on Friday Morning in Beaufort County. As of 7:30 a.m., 6,500 Tideland EMC members were estimated to be without power, while 1,500 on Duke Energy were in the dark. Approximately 5,000 customers were without power in the Washington Electric Utilities service area. Throughout the Tideland EMC system, more than 17,000 members have lost power.

With stormy conditions expected to continue throughout the morning, it will likely be this afternoon before crews can safely respond to outages. According to Friday morning updates from both Tideland and Washington Electric Utilities, to protect the safety of power crews, work can not begin in full on restoration until the winds die down.

The public is urged to not call 911 to report power outages, but to call their respective power companies. Be cautious to avoid downed power lines, as they may still be energized, either through the electric system or by back feed from improperly installed generators. Also remember to never operate a generator inside, as this can lead to a potentially fatal buildup of carbon monoxide.

Report outages and keep track of restoration efforts with these resources:

Tideland EMC

Before calling to report a power outage, check the breakers in your home or business to make sure the problem is not related to internal causes. Outages can be reported at 1-800-882-1001 (in Beaufort County call 252-944-2400) A live outage map can be found at www.tidelandemc.com under the storm center tab.

To receive text alerts from Tideland directly to your cell phone, text the letters TEMC to short code 85700. You will immediately receive a confirmation text message. You must reply with your Tideland EMC account number to complete the activation process. To deactivate the service, text STOP to short code 85700 or reply STOP to any text message received. Data and message fees may apply depending on the terms of your cellular service.

Duke Energy

A live map of outages for Duke Energy customers can be found at www.duke-energy.com/outages. Outages can also be reported at that site, as well as by calling 800-769-3766, or via the Duke Energy mobile app. To receive text alerts, text REG to 57801.

Washington Electric Utilities

Washington Electric Utilities customers should call 252-975-9320 to report power outages. Someone is available in Washington to take your call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.