Theory spreads after North Carolina substation attack leaves 45,000 without power

A state of emergency was declared in Moore County, N.C. after gunfire 'heavily' damaged two substations, causing a power outage over a large area.

Thousands of people in North Carolina remain without power after a “deliberate” and “intentional” attack on electrical substations in Moore County, North Carolina on Saturday, according to officials.

Schools stayed closed for a second day on Tuesday, businesses have been left shuttered, and some local residents continue to battle early-winter temperatures in unheated houses.

On Saturday evening, gunfire damaged two substations in the county, initially leaving 45,000 people without power. A state of emergency was declared over the weekend as residents were encouraged to conserve fuel and adhere to a 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew each night.

Duke Energy announced Monday that they had restored power to 7,000 customers, but 38,000 residents still had no electricity. The company noted that the damage to the substations was extensive and that outages may continue through the week.

“Duke Energy will continue to restore service quickly and safely, although many affected customers should prepare for an outage that could extend to Thursday, Dec. 8,” a press release reads.

Jason Hollifield, Duke Energy’s general manager of emergency preparedness, said that the damage to electrical equipment was “beyond repair in some areas.” He added that this “leaves us with no option but to replace large pieces of equipment — which is not an easy or quick task.”

One local fire department in the county has seen an increase in car crashes because of downed traffic lights, and an uptick in fires as people look for alternatives to heating their homes, Southern Pines Fire Chief Mike Cameron told CNN. Emergency shelters have been opened to the public, according to statements from the county.

Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said on Sunday that when police responded to the substations, “evidence was discovered that indicated that intentional vandalism had occurred at multiple sites.”