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Duke Energy honors lineworkers who help strengthen grid, restore power

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. , April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, April 18, Duke Energy recognizes National Lineworker Appreciation Day and the men and women who keep the lights on for the company's more than 2 million customers across Florida. From year-round grid hardening that improves reliability to storm response and recovery, lineworkers bring skill, teamwork and a strong safety focus to the work customers depend on.

What you need to know: Lineworkers build, maintain and upgrade the equipment that powers homes and businesses, and they respond when outages occur. Reliability work – replacing aging equipment and adding technology to detect and isolate issues – can help reduce outages and speed restoration. During storms and extreme weather, they coordinate with emergency responders as conditions allow, with safety guiding every job.

Go deeper: Lineworkers – including line, substation and relay technicians – are the hands-on workforce behind Duke Energy's electric grid. They install, maintain and upgrade poles, transformers and power lines to strengthen a more resilient, modern system that can meet evolving customer needs and growing energy demand. Many also live where they work – neighbors helping neighbors stay connected and supported.

What they're saying:

  • "Customers trust us to deliver safe, reliable power every day – and to bring it back quickly after storms and other outages," said Scott Batson, Duke Energy executive vice president and chief power grid officer. "That's why the work of our lineworkers' matters: They strengthen the system through daily maintenance and upgrades, and they respond in our communities when it matters most. Their skill and safety-first mindset help us provide the dependable service our communities expect today while building a stronger grid for the future."
  • "Linework in Florida is both demanding and rewarding. Between extreme heat, lightning and hurricanes, there's always something working against the grid," said John Thompson, Duke Energy Florida transmission line technician. "It's our job as a line crew to come together, push back against those challenges, and make sure the lights stay on – no matter what Mother Nature throws at us."

By the numbers: Duke Energy employs approximately 3,600 lineworkers across its six-state service area – nearly 800 in Florida – who are supported by additional contract crews. More than 10,000 professionals work together to keep service reliable.

The bottom line: Lineworkers strengthen a more resilient system customers can rely on. The next time you flip a switch, charge your phone or power your business, take a moment to thank a lineworker and share your appreciation with #ThankALineworker.

Lineworker b-roll and photography:

Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida. 

Duke Energy
 Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.

More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.

Contact: Aly Raschid
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
X: @DE_AlyRaschid

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SOURCE Duke Energy