As 2024 comes to a close, we revisit the stories that captured your attention – from perspectives on the future of energy to the personal stories behind the work we do.
Which one was your favorite? What would you like to see more of? Reach us at illumination@duke-energy.com. Meantime, sign up for the illumination newsletter and we’ll deliver the best stories straight to your inbox.
A message for western North Carolina: ‘We’re still here, standing with you’
Duke Energy president Harry Sideris champions a comeback for his Asheville, N.C., hometown and the communities hit hard by Hurricane Helene.
He was born to help others. First as a paramedic, now in linework
Alejandro Guillen wanted a career change. So, when a friend told him about a 14-week lineworker training program in St. Petersburg, Fla., Guillen enrolled. And never looked back.
Play ball! How night baseball came to Cincinnati in 1935
A story of how General Electric and Cincinnati Gas & Electric (now part of Duke Energy) illuminated the first major league baseball game – ever.
Grant-funded drone helps find missing man
A missing South Carolina man was reunited with his family in July thanks to the sharp eyes of a drone soaring above Spartanburg, S.C.
Connecting clean energy to the grid is no easy feat
The renewable energy evolution requires feats of logistics and continuous learning. These engineers bring innovation and creativity to move the industry forward.
How Sandy Norris was able to lower her energy use, save money
Like many Duke Energy customers, Sandy Norris lives on a fixed income. She was able to lower one recurring expense – her monthly energy bill – with help from a North Carolina pilot program that provides free home energy improvements to some income-qualified customers who use a lot of electricity.
This 30-year-old marvel is more powerful than ever
Duke Energy can serve an additional 250,000 customers with cleaner energy, a result of upgrades at Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station in Salem, S.C. Learn more about the largest "rechargeable battery" on our system.
Building on the past to power the future
A closed landfill in western North Carolina is now home to a solar facility that’s helping Duke Energy power more homes with clean energy. The project also boosts the region’s renewable energy goals by 20%, turning an old waste site into a source of sustainable electricity for decades to come.
The people who make power generation look easy
When someone flips a light switch, chances are they don’t consider the thousands of people who work around the clock to connect them with the power for that light. To Emily Jones, one of the engineers whose work is responsible for that illumination, that’s just the way it should be.
Why Duke Energy is road testing an electric semitruck
By replacing a traditional semitruck with a zero-emissions vehicle, Duke Energy found it can electrify a supply chain logistics route, efficiently moving materials to its operations centers without burning gasoline or diesel.
