The 10-Month Blackout: Battling Duke Energy After Helene

The most "mind-blowing" obstacle wasn't the river; it was Duke Energy. From September 27, 2024, until July 25, 2025, I was left in total darkness. Restoring service was a technical nightmare that required a 30-foot 6" x 6" pole and the construction of a custom deck and stairs to meet height requirements. I had to navigate a gauntlet of land surveys and elevation permits just to apply for a meter. I owe a debt to friends like Marcus and Pat, who helped source the heavy electrical components the build demanded.

But the real "digital ambush" happened behind the scenes. While I was enrolled in paperless billing, Duke Energy cut my online access, effectively blindfolding me while they drained my account credits with "ghost bills" for a property that was literally missing. They even moved the poles roughly 100 yards onto private property, outside the right-of-way, and refused to connect me for months.

While I was enrolled in paperless billing, Duke Energy cut off my online account access - effectively blindfolding me while they drained my account credits with "ghost bills" for a property that was literally missing. Compounding this, Duke moved the primary poles roughly 100 yards onto private property, outside the established right-of-way, and refused to reconnect anyone while that displacement existed.

While I recouped some money the process was so opaque that I am in doubt I recovered all my funds. Quite frankly the struggle to regain just access to power made it difficult to deal with those small details. The corporate indefference and widespread ghost bills plaqued many residents of the Green River Cove and beyond.