As Florida prepares for Tropical Storm Debby, Duke Energy said it's mobilizing more than 3,000 of its workers in anticipation of power outages caused by the storm.
The company said power line technicians, vegetation workers, damage assessors and support personnel, who will be on standby to respond. This includes Midwest crews from Kentucky and Ohio, who will head to Florida to help begin repairs and power restoration.
“We are bringing additional crews to Florida today and will continue to adjust our resources as the storm approaches,” said Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director. “We encourage our customers to heed their local officials’ warnings, take necessary precautions and prioritize safety before, during and after the storm.”
Tropical Storm Warnings and Watches have been issued for most parts of Tampa Bay as Debby nears the state. At 5 a.m. on Aug. 4, the NHC said that on the current forecast track, the system should move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Sunday night and reach the Florida Big Bend coast late on Monday morning.
Some counties are also issuing evacuation orders, with Citrus County officials requiring mandatory evacuations for residents in Zone A.
The future of Rays baseball in St. Pete has businesses taking it game by game
"It's gonna be probably a 30% difference of more customers, and that's a big difference for small businesses," said Bill Georgiou has owned The Burg Bar & Grill on Central Avenue for 17 years.
