Honoring the heroes who power our communities

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Building and maintaining the system that powers the lives of millions of people is no easy feat, and not for the faint of heart.

Whether they are climbing a 40-foot pole or sky-high in an elevated bucket truck, line workers help return life to normal after storms, accidents and natural disasters. They ensure the electron lifeblood of every community continues to flow no matter the situation.

And their work is creating a smarter energy future by making the energy grid more resilient, reliable and secure, helping to stimulate economic growth.

"Linemen are highly skilled professionals working every day to ensure our energy grid is doing its job to provide power for our families and communities," said Rep. David Rouzer (R-N.C.), the lead sponsor of a congressional resolution recognizing Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18, 2017. "They deserve recognition for their brave and vital work and I'm proud to join with my colleagues in Congress to honor the heroic contributions of our linemen."

"Powering the lives of hard-working families and communities is the most important job we have at Duke Energy, and line workers are critical to this duty," said David Fountain, Duke Energy's North Carolina president. "Customers expect us to deliver electricity that is reliable, affordable and increasingly clean, while also making smart investments that help communities and local economies thrive by providing more value and more choice every day."

More than 5,000 line workers are part of Duke Energy. They, along with thousands of contract line workers, are responsible for constructing, operating and maintaining equipment and more than 295,000 miles of power lines that serve over 7 million customers – representing a population of more than 24 million people – across its service territories.

Those who wish to honor line workers and their families are encouraged to use the hashtag #ThankALineman in social media.

For more information about Duke Energy's line workers, follow @DukeEnergy and visit www.facebook.com/DukeEnergy.

To view a video of what a day in the life of a line worker is like, visit: http://illumination.duke-energy.com/articles/video:-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-lineworker

To view a letter from a lineman's wife expressing her appreciation for her husband's job serving the community, visit: http://illumination.duke-energy.com/articles/my-husband-the-lineman. 

Duke Energy
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company's Gas Utilities and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the United States.

Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. 

The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online destination for stories about people, innovations, and community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and insights into the future of energy.

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Meghan Miles
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_MeghanM     

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/honoring-the-heroes-who-power-our-communities-300440136.html

SOURCE Duke Energy

Copyright 2017 PR Newswire