All articles tagged with #duke energy
Duke Energy asked customers in North Carolina and South Carolina to voluntarily cut electricity use from 2-8 p.m. Friday to ease the grid during peak demand, offering tips such as raising thermostats, avoiding large appliances and ovens, and charging electric vehicles overnight; the utility serves about 3.9 million customers in NC and 870,000 in SC.
North Carolina regulators rejected Duke Energy’s plan for a 250‑MW natural gas peaker to power Amazon’s $10B data center near Charlotte, saying it didn’t adequately show how ratepayers would be protected under Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge; the decision isn’t final and Duke can refile. Meanwhile, Amazon obtained permits for temporary diesel generators as the 21‑building campus approaches completion around 2029–2030, with opponents warning about emissions and the risk of stranded assets.
A Duke Energy transmission-line outage knocked out power for nearly 22,000 Wake County customers in Cary and Morrisville, with about 5,000 still out at 6:40 p.m. before power was restored by around 9 p.m.; several town facilities were closed and events affected while crews investigated the cause.
About 35,000 Duke Energy customers in Wake County, mainly in Cary and Morrisville, lost power after a transmission line was damaged by a contracted helicopter crew working for railroad vegetation management and a fallen tree; the helicopter was not contracted by Duke Energy. Duke Energy is investigating, with an estimated restoration around 9 p.m., and several Cary facilities were closed or had altered operations.
Duke Energy will redirect nearly $129 million tied to its canceled Carolina Long Bay offshore wind lease into investments to add generating capacity and grid upgrades—potentially including new natural gas or advanced nuclear—aimed at improving reliability and keeping costs low for Carolinas customers, under a settlement with the Trump-era Interior Department.
Duke Energy has submitted an early site permit application to the NRC for a potential new nuclear site near Belews Creek in North Carolina, exploring small modular reactor technologies to meet future energy needs while reducing risks and costs, with plans to add 600 MW of nuclear capacity by 2037 if the project proceeds.
The US has declared a power emergency in the Southeast due to a severe heat wave causing high electricity demand, leading Duke Energy to request permission to operate at maximum capacity to prevent blackouts amid extreme temperatures exceeding 100°F in parts of the Carolinas.
A town in North Carolina has filed a lawsuit against Duke Energy, accusing the company of contributing to climate change and seeking damages for its environmental impact. The legal action highlights growing concerns over corporate responsibility in addressing climate-related issues.
The town of Carrboro, North Carolina, is suing Duke Energy, one of the largest electric utilities in the U.S., over its role in climate change. The lawsuit claims Duke Energy has known about the harmful effects of greenhouse gas emissions for decades but continued to operate coal and gas power plants, contributing significantly to carbon emissions. Carrboro seeks compensation for climate-related damages and aims to hold Duke accountable for allegedly misleading the public about climate change. This case is notable for targeting a utility company rather than oil companies, focusing on corporate deception.
Duke Energy, in collaboration with Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Nucor, has announced agreements to develop new rate structures to support carbon-free energy generation. These agreements, including the proposed Accelerating Clean Energy (ACE) tariffs, aim to lower the costs of clean energy investments and facilitate on-site generation and load flexibility for large-scale energy customers. The initiative supports Duke Energy's and its partners' commitment to clean energy and requires regulatory approval in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Severe thunderstorms in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area have left over 4,000 Duke Energy customers without power, with the most significant outages on the West Side and near CVG. The Taste of Cincinnati festival, which paused due to the storms, resumed at 3 p.m. A severe thunderstorm warning for Hamilton County expired at 2:15 p.m., but a watch remains in effect. Another wave of storms is expected after 10 p.m. Sunday night.
High winds sweeping across Western North Carolina have caused power outages, with about 172 outages affecting more than 3,989 people reported across the Carolinas. Duke Energy has provided estimated restoration times for affected areas, and customers are advised to prepare safety kits in case of further outages.
Traffic on I-75 near Monroe has reopened after strong storms knocked down six power poles, causing power outages for hundreds of households. Duke Energy crews worked to clear the power lines from the road, allowing traffic to resume. No injuries were reported, and efforts are underway to restore power to affected areas, with a potential timeline of midnight for full restoration.
Interstate 75 in Butler County has re-opened in both directions after strong winds caused six power poles to fall onto the roadway, prompting a closure for crews to clear the debris.
Downed power lines have caused the closure of northbound traffic on I-75 between Middletown and Liberty Way in Monroe, Ohio. The closure is due to a broken pole and downed lines, causing power outages for hundreds of people. Drivers are advised to slow down, reroute, and be cautious of their surroundings, while also being mindful of Duke Energy crews working on the roadways and avoiding driving over or approaching downed power lines.