• National award recognizes Duke Energy's safe, rapid restoration following a major winter storm
• Crews restored power to nearly 200,000 customers, with 95% restored within 24 hours and all customers restored within 48 hours

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has received national recognition for helping customers recover quickly from Winter Storm Fern, restoring service to nearly 200,000 customers after the storm brought freezing rain, sleet and snow across the Carolinas in January 2026.

By the numbers

Duke Energy mobilized more than 15,000 lineworkers, vegetation workers and damage assessors to support restoration efforts. In total, crews restored power to nearly 200,000 customers impacted by Winter Storm Fern, with 95% restored within 24 hours and all customers restored within 48 hours.

Self-healing technology was one of several tools crews used in the field to help restore power to customers across the Carolinas following the storm. The technology helped avoid nearly 27,000 customer outages, primarily in the hardest-hit areas of Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, saving customers almost 150,000 hours of total outage time.

A national award

The Edison Electric Institute's (EEI) Emergency Recovery Award honors electric companies that demonstrate exceptional work to restore service following major outages caused by extreme weather or other natural events. Duke Energy was recognized for the preparation, resource coordination and field execution that helped crews respond safely and restore customers quickly following Winter Storm Fern.

Winners were selected by a panel of judges through EEI's nomination process and announced during EEI's September Board of Directors and Chief Executives Meeting.

What they're saying

"When severe weather strikes, our member companies mobilize around the clock to restore power safely and as quickly as possible for the customers they serve," said Drew Maloney, president and CEO of EEI. "EEI is proud to recognize Duke Energy with the Emergency Recovery Award for its outstanding response following Winter Storm Fern. This honor reflects the skill and determination of Duke Energy's workforce, which prepares year-round through planning, training and investments in grid resilience so crews are ready to respond when customers and communities need them most."

Our view

"Storm response starts long before the weather arrives, and this recognition speaks to the planning, teamwork and operational discipline teams across Duke Energy bring to every event," said Scott Batson, executive vice president and chief power grid officer for Duke Energy. "From year-round readiness and resource coordination to field execution, it reflects a combined enterprise effort focused on safely restoring power, improving reliability and helping bring a sense of normalcy back to customers and communities as quickly as possible."

EEI
EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Its members provide safe, reliable electricity for nearly 250 million Americans and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States.

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.

Contact: Zach Vavricka
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy