People Behind the Power: What To Know About the Remarkable Role of Duke Energy Lineworkers - Seite 2

Beyond keeping the lights on, lineworkers also play a key role in power grid improvement projects that are helping modernize and strengthen Duke Energy's system. This includes protection against storms and other impacts, making the grid more reliable and resilient, as well as integrating new and cleaner energy technologies.

"The grid is a massive, complex system that works nonstop to provide reliable power to our customers. Our transmission and distribution line, substation and relay technicians have a fundamental role in making sure it is prepared to support the growth we are seeing in our regions and to enabling the addition of more renewables to our system at an ambitious pace," said Batson. "This work can include upgrading lines and poles, undergrounding outage-prone lines where data indicates it is prudent to do so, and enhancing grid reliability through the integration of smart, self-healing technology - which saved more than 1.5 million customer interruptions and avoided more than 3.5 million hours of customer outage time in 2023."

Hiring and developing craft and skilled talent is critical to address the growing energy needs of customers and to continue to make grid upgrades for the future. The company continues to hire talent and works closely with community colleges across its company footprint to recruit diverse, skilled candidates.

"It's important to me to be able to serve my community by building and maintaining a resilient power grid to help people with their daily needs and quality of life," said Miles Bell, journeyman lineworker with Duke Energy's Spartanburg Operations Center. "This is an industry and career field that is constantly evolving and is rewarding in so many ways."

Over the past seven years, Duke Energy and its Foundation have provided nearly $4 million in funding to support lineworker programs in states where the company operates.

Thank a lineworker on social media

National Lineworker Appreciation Day is April 18, but throughout the week Duke Energy will be sharing special stories in appreciation of the essential workers who power our lives on Twitter at @DukeEnergy and Facebook at facebook.com/DukeEnergy. To honor lineworkers and their families on social media on National Lineworker Appreciation Day, please use the hashtag #ThankALineworker.

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