Guardians of the grid: Duke Energy celebrates National Lineworker Appreciation Day April 18

On April 18, Duke Energy celebrates National Lineworker Appreciation Day – a day to recognize the service, commitment and sacrifices of lineworkers, team members who are critical to ensuring customers have access to safe and reliable electricity.  

Why it matters: Lineworkers provide an invaluable service to communities. Among the first to respond after storms to help ensure public safety, they frequently work in challenging conditions including extreme weather and heights to restore power and keep the lights on. 

Lineworkers support the growth of industries and businesses in Duke Energy’s service areas across the Carolinas, Florida and the Midwest by helping build and expand power infrastructure. Line technicians install new power lines, transformers and other equipment to reliably accommodate growth. This work is increasingly important as communities continue to grow and new and existing businesses expand.

A historic year: Hurricane Helene (Sept. 26, 2024) was one of the most impactful storms in Duke Energy’s history, requiring an unprecedented response. Duke Energy lineworkers – many of whom were personally impacted by the storm – restored more than 3.1 million customer outages in the Carolinas, Florida and Midwest after Helene hit. 

By the numbers

• In the Carolinas, Hurricane Helene response involved 23,000 field personnel from more than 19 states and Canada.
   
• Lineworkers replaced 14,000 power poles and 9 million feet of wire as part of the restoration. 
   
• In total, more than 10,000 Duke Energy and contract lineworkers, including substation and relay technicians, make up Duke Energy’s lineworker team. Substation technicians manage energy distribution at substations, while relay technicians test electrical equipment to ensure reliable power distribution.
   
• Since 2020, the Duke Energy Foundation has committed more than $3.3 million in grant funding to support lineworker programs and participants.

A fast-growing occupation: The demand for lineworkers continues to grow as Duke Energy engages in more grid and infrastructure improvement projects. The company works with and recruits from 22 community college lineworker training programs throughout its service areas that have lineworker training programs. 

What they’re saying

Scott Batson, senior vice president and chief power grid officer for Duke Energy: “Our customers live and work in some of the most vibrant, fastest-growing areas of the country. Duke Energy can efficiently meet current and future energy needs in large part due to our trusted line teams’ commitment to safety and excellence, and we value their work immensely.”

Suzy Macke, trouble technician lineworker, Duke Energy (Florida): “The feeling of restoring power to communities who have been severely impacted by storms and storm damage is like nothing else you will ever experience in a job. Helping customers in their time of need and seeing the happiness it brings them gives lineworkers a sense of purpose and fulfillment, and we truly love our work.”

Chase Nickell, journeyman lineworker, Duke Energy (Indiana): “It’s a rewarding job and a purposeful job when you can get the lights back on for customers. My kids don’t always want me to leave, but when people are out of power, they understand, and they are proud of their dad.”

Alex Downton, journeyman lineworker, Duke Energy (Kentucky and Ohio): “Lineworkers are like a family, and I love the people that I work with. I believe our trust and respect for one another directly reflects our success in providing safe and reliable power. We hold each other accountable and ensure everyone gets home safe when the work is finished.”

Harrison Cochran, apprentice lineworker, Duke Energy (North Carolina): “Working for Duke Energy is really rewarding and has given my colleagues and I so much gratitude to be able to help our customers and get the power back on. Our Greensboro-based line team is proud to always be willing to sacrifice time whenever needed, whether it’s getting the power back on for our customers or taking time to teach the apprentices essential skills that are important to have as we continue to build a stronger grid.”

Rikki Terry, journeyman lineworker, Duke Energy (South Carolina): “Besides safety, there is nothing that takes priority over getting the lights back on. We are fortunate to have a close team of colleagues committed to our customers and to each other, and we feel accomplished when we can make our communities better and make the grid stronger for the future.”

Go deeper: Additional media is available online.

Lineworker b-roll and photography:  

Lineworkers brighten our communities 

Multimedia Gallery | Duke Energy | News Center (duke-energy.com)  

(Photos) Hurricane Helene - Carolinas | Duke Energy | News Center 

(Video) Hurricane Helene Carolinas | Duke Energy | News Center 

Lineworker soundbites: 

Florida 

Carolinas  

Midwest 

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.