Duke Energy urges Carolinas customers to reduce energy use

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Extremely cold temperatures – 10 to 20 degrees below normal – are driving unusually high energy demand across the East Coast, including the Carolinas. Duke Energy is asking all Carolinas customers to voluntarily reduce their energy use from 4-10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 2, to help lessen the energy demand on the grid and reduce the potential of temporary power outages.

Customers can help ease strain on the grid by taking the following steps:

• Reduce your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting.
• Avoid using major appliances such as washing machines, clothes dryers and dishwashers between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m.
• Turn off any unnecessary devices, unused plug-ins and lights.
• Electric vehicle owners: Charge midday, when demand is lower.

"We know it's inconvenient to reduce electric use, but it makes a real difference," said Gerald Wilson, Duke Energy vice president of grid operations. "We are taking every step to meet our customers energy needs, including maximizing our generation and purchasing power and working with large commercial and industrial customers who have demand response programs. We appreciate our customers' cooperation, patience and understanding as we work to maintain reliable service across the Carolinas."

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 8.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, keeping customer reliability and value at the forefront as it builds a smarter energy future. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables and energy storage.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

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SOURCE Duke Energy