I'M NOT STAYING NEAR ANY OF
THAT.
THANK YOU.
STUART: WE'LL SEE YOU SHORTLY.
KRISTINA PARTSINEVELOS RIGHT
THERE.
DUKE ENERGY CLOSING ONE OF ITS
COME ON IN DUKE ENERGY PRESIDENT
DAVID FOUNTAIN.
DAVID, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
BEING ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING.
CLOSURE OF THAT PLANT,
BRUNSWICK, PLANT ON THE CAPE
FEAR RIVER, THAT WAS JUST DONE
FOR PURE SAFETY REASONS,
CORRECT?
>> STUART, THAT'S CORRECT.
I'M HERE IN HURRICANE COMMAND
CENTER IN RALEIGH.
BRUNSWICK NUCLEAR PLANT SOUTH OF
WILMINGTON WILL EXPERIENCE
SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS.
IF SO, OUR OPERATORS BEGAN
ORDERLY SYSTEMIC SHUTDOWN OF
GENERATING UNITS.
WE DO THAT TWO HOURS PRIOR TO
EXPECTED IMPACT.
STUART: DAVID, I'M TOLD THAT
NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IS BUILT TO
WITH STAND WINDS OF 200 MILES AN
HOUR.
THERE IS NO SAFETY PROBLEM HERE?
>> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT,
STUART.
MULTIPLE LAYERS OF PROTECTION AT
NUCLEAR PLANTS.
PLANTS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THIS
TYPE OF EVENT AS WELL AS
OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES, BACK UP
EQUIPMENT, SYSTEMS.
WE HAVE WELL-TRAINED PERSONNEL
WHO REMAIN ON SITE THROUGHOUT
THE EVENT.
STUART: WITH THAT PLANT CLOSED,
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU THINK
SERVE?
>> WE WON'T HAVE ANY OUTAGES AS
A RESULT OF LACK OF GENERATION
BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE OUTAGES
AS A RESULT OF HURRICANE
FLORENCE'S DESTRUCTIVE IMPACT ON
THE POWER GRID.
SINCE HURRICANE FLORENCE MADE
LANDFALL EARLIER THIS MORNING WE
EXPERIENCED OVER 300,000
OUTAGES.
WE EXPECT THOSE TO INCREASE
THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND THE
WEEKEND AS HURRICANE FLORENCE
MOVES THROUGH THE CAROLINAS.
WE'RE CURRENTLY ESTIMATING
STUART, ONE TO THREE MILLION
CUSTOMERS WILL LOSE POWER, OF
FOUR MILLION HOMES AND
BUSINESSES WE SERVE IN THE
CAROLINAS.
IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT T WILL TAKE
TIME TO GET POWER BACK TO THESE
POOR PEOPLE.
YOUR HEART GOES OUT TO THEM,
YOU'RE OWN HOME.
DON'T HAVE MUCH TO EAT, NOT A
HOT DINNER, THAT IS PURE MISERY,
ISN'T IT?
>> WE UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT
FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO ENDURE A
STORM SUCH AS THIS.
AND OUTAGES THAT COULD LAST NOT
JUST DAYS BUT WEEKS IN HARDEST
HIT AREAS.
THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE
AMASSED A RESTORATION ARMY OF
OVER 20,000 LINE WORKERS AND
TREE SERVICE PERSONNEL, POISED
AND READY TO BEGIN THE
FLOODING AND THINGS LIKE THAT,
STUART, IT WILL TAKE US SOME
TIME BEFORE WE CAN GET OUT TO DO
A DAMAGE ASSESSMENT.
STUART: DAVID FOUNTAIN, DUKE
POWER, I KNOW YOU'RE BUSINESS.
BACK TO WORK.
SEE YOU LATER.
>> THANK YOU, STUART.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE
EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND RESCUE
WORKERS FIRST-RESPONDERS IN AND
