Morrisville and parts of Durham got a brutal reminder of how fragile the grid can be on a scorching summer weekend, as a daytime power outage left more than 2,000 Duke Energy customers sweating through dangerous heat. With temperatures in the mid‑90s and real‑feel readings near 105 degrees, town officials scrambled to open cooling options for residents suddenly stuck without air conditioning.
WRAL reported that the outage was first logged at 8:19 a.m. Duke Energy initially projected power would be back by 11:30 a.m., then later pushed that estimate out to about 10:30 p.m. Town social media posts cited a transformer fire in the Research Triangle Park area, and roughly 2,000 customers were said to be affected.
What Duke Energy’s outage feed shows
According to Duke Energy’s public outage feed, the utility posted rolling estimated‑restoration times for the affected neighborhoods and adjusted the outage polygons through the afternoon. The outage data are refreshed frequently on the public feed, which means those refreshes can bring good news or another delay. Residents can monitor live restoration estimates on Duke Energy’s outage tools for the latest ETRs and status updates.
Cooling centers and where to go
To give people a break from the heat, the town opened Morrisville Fire Department Station 1 at 200 Town Hall Drive as an emergency cooling center and, unusually, allowed kennelled pets inside, WRAL noted. Other spots to cool off include the Durham County Main Library at 300 N. Roxboro St., which operates on county hours, and the Morrisville Community Library at 310 Town Hall Drive, both offering staffed, air‑conditioned space through the afternoon. The town also points residents to the Morrisville Aquatics & Fitness Center in the summer program guide and the Cedar Fork Community Center at 1050 B Town Hall Drive as additional cooling options with more limited hours.
Officials urged residents to stay hydrated, avoid heavy outdoor activity and check on elderly or medically vulnerable neighbors while heat advisories remain in place. The National Weather Service Raleigh offers detailed guidance on heat risks and precautions. Federal agencies warn that improper use of portable generators can cause deadly carbon monoxide poisoning, and the EPA and CDC publish generator‑safety guidance for outages. Duke Energy has also advised customers who depend on electrically powered medical equipment to have contingency plans ready and to keep a close eye on outage alerts from the utility…