Black Friday Sale! 50% Off All Access

'Knew Exactly What They Were Doing': Nearly 40,000 in North Carolina Still Stuck Without Power After 'Deliberate' Attack of 'Vandalism' on Electric Grid A state of emergency was declared following the mass outages that began over the weekend.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Getty Images
A road in Moore County, NC where drivers struggle to cross intersections as street lights remain knocked out amid mass power outages.

A state of emergency has been declared in Moore County, North Carolina after assailants took out two major power grids in the state, leaving nearly 45,000 residents without power.

The attack, which took place over the weekend, seemed to be caused by firearms that shot and took out two major substations in the area in what law enforcement is calling a "deliberate" and "targeted" attack of "intentional vandalism."

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper took to social media to acknowledge the outages Sunday morning.

Authorities report that though they are not yet sure what the motive might have been, they are certain that the attacker (or attackers) knew "exactly what they were doing," according to commentary from More County, North Carolina Sherriff Ronnie Fields.

"It was a gate, and they went through the gate, got at the substation, and shot it as well," Fields said in a press conference. "It wasn't random."

Per the state of emergency rules, residents will be placed on a curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. until the order is lifted.

Duke Energy said that nearly 7,000 customers had received power back as of Monday, noting that the total number of customers without power is still around 38,000.

The company encouraged residents to turn off appliances and devices that might have been left on before the power was cut to avoid an "immediate surge on the system" when the power is restored but acknowledged that it could be a while before power is restored and people may need to seek "alternative locations" to live.

"We are restoring customers where possible, but the damage is beyond repair in some areas. That leaves us with no option but to replace large pieces of equipment – which is not an easy or quick task," Duke Energy's general manager of emergency preparedness, Jason Hollifield, said in a release. "The company continues to work with local, state and federal agencies on their ongoing investigation into this incident."

Outages for most are expected to continue into Thursday as police continue to investigate the incident.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Living

These Are the 'Wealthiest and Safest' Places to Retire in the U.S. None of Them Are in Florida — and 2 States Swept the List.

More than 338,000 U.S. residents retired to a new home in 2023 — a 44% increase year over year.

Business News

DOGE Leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy Say Mandating In-Person Work Would Make 'a Wave' of Federal Employees Quit

The two published an op-ed outlining their goals for their new department, including workforce reductions.

Starting a Business

This Sommelier's 'Laughable' Idea Is Disrupting the $385 Billion Wine Industry

Kristin Olszewski, founder of Nomadica, is bringing premium wine to aluminum cans, and major retailers are taking note.

Business News

These Are the Highest Paying Jobs Available Without a College Degree, According to a New Report

The median salaries for these positions go up to $102,420 per year.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Starting a Business

He Started a Business That Surpassed $100 Million in Under 3 Years: 'Consistent Revenue Right Out of the Gate'

Ryan Close, founder and CEO of Bartesian, had run a few small businesses on the side — but none of them excited him as much as the idea for a home cocktail machine.