With forecasters predicting an above-average hurricane season, utility provider Duke Energy Florida is offering a rare glimpse inside its high-tech Distribution Control Center in St. Petersburg — the hub responsible for managing power outages and restoring service when major storms hit.

This state-of-the-art facility operates around the clock, monitoring the electrical grid in real time and coordinating the deployment of repair crews during emergencies.

“Our power grid dispatchers make life-critical decisions every day — not just to keep our crews safe, but to ensure our customers receive the reliable electricity they depend on,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida’s state president. “It’s a high-risk role that’s absolutely essential.”

Serving roughly 2 million residents across 35 Florida counties, Duke Energy’s infrastructure includes more than 18,000 miles of overhead and nearly 14,000 miles of underground power lines. From the control center, operators rely on advanced systems to detect outages and mobilize response teams across a 13,000-square-mile area.

Officials say preparations are already underway, with early-season storms in June and July expected to pose serious challenges even before the traditional peak in late summer.

Duke Energy Florida also operates over 30 power generation sites with a combined capacity of 12,300 megawatts. As part of ongoing modernization efforts, the company has invested in smart technology aimed at speeding up outage recovery — including automated systems that can reroute power without human input.

“One of the tools we use is called self-healing technology,” said company spokeswoman Ana Gibbs. “It’s like GPS for the grid — it automatically reroutes power around damaged areas, just like your GPS redirects you around traffic.”

During a media tour on Thursday, Duke Energy showcased how the control center gears up for hurricane season and coordinates its storm response efforts statewide.

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1.

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