When the lights go out, Duke Energy lineworkers shine

- April 18 is National Lineman Appreciation Day to honor lineworkers and their role in powering the lives of millions of people across the country

- An additional 900 lineworkers are needed this year to support the company's grid improvement work

News provided by

Duke Energy

Apr 18, 2019, 09:33 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Lineworkers chase storms, climb towering poles and are always ready when severe weather strikes. And when the lights go out, our lineworkers shine.

Whether perched on a 40-foot pole or sky high in an elevated bucket truck, lineworkers ensure the electricity is flowing to power vital infrastructure from hospitals and water treatment facilities to businesses and industries and our everyday conveniences at home.

On April 18, we celebrate our lineworkers' role in powering the lives of millions of people across the country for National Lineman Appreciation Day.

"Powering the lives of hard-working families and communities is the most important job we have," said Lloyd Yates, executive vice president customer and delivery operations and president Carolinas. "Lineworkers' brave and vital work on the front lines requires dedication, passion and continuous training. Today, we honor them for keeping the lights on across America."

Lineworker hiring
If you like working outdoors, tackling challenges, working as a team and making a steady salary with overtime and advancement opportunities, Duke Energy and other companies who work on the electric grid are hiring. Nearly 900 lineworkers are needed this year to support Duke Energy's grid improvement work.

Anyone interested in lineworker positions can join our talent community, a pipeline for future recruitment, to stay connected about new lineworker opportunities. Visit https://dukeenergy.avature.net/DELineworker or text 'lineworker' to 67076. As positions become available, our recruiting team will notify the talent community.

Technology
While more traditional aspects of the job such as climbing poles and towers remain, technology has further enhanced the profession. Drones can be used to assess damage and string lines in areas with limited access following severe weather events.

New portable technology used by lineworkers in the field helps better inform customers on the status of outages including the causes, crew updates and the estimated times of restoration.

Technology developed by Duke Energy called "Ping It" helps crews quickly identify remaining outages as repairs are made to damaged lines. The technology "pings" customers' smart meters to verify the status of an outage, which saves crews time in the field, especially when restoring power after a storm.

More than 7,800 Duke Energy and contract lineworkers are part of the Duke Energy team. They are responsible for constructing, operating and maintaining equipment and more than 300,000 miles of power lines in Duke Energy's service territories – that is enough to wrap around the Earth 12 times.

Those who wish to honor lineworkers and their families are encouraged to use the hashtag #ThankALineman on social media.

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

B-roll of lineworkers in the field is available, here: https://news.duke-energy.com/file?fid=560ef6e95e8eef0635e13d15.

For a behind the scenes look with a high-voltage line crew, visit https://illumination.duke-energy.com/articles/they-climb-the-tallest-poles-to-build-a-stronger-grid.

And, for a letter from a lineman's wife, visit: https://illumination.duke-energy.com/articles/my-husband-the-lineworker-is-a-superhero.

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 125 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2019 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Meghan Miles
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
[email protected]
Twitter - @DE_MeghanM

SOURCE Duke Energy