Indiana’s guardians of the grid

Duke Energy celebrates National Lineworker Appreciation Day

Today, 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.

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 in Indiana 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.

By the numbers

• In Indiana, lineworkers recently restored power to nearly 100,000 customers affected by storms and flooding during the first week of April.
• In total, more than 10,000 Duke Energy and contract lineworkers, including substation and relay technicians, make up Duke Energy’s lineworker team in the Carolinas, Florida, and Midwest. 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 across its service territories.

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.

“Our customers live and work in some of the most vibrant, fastest-growing areas of the country,” said Scott Batson, senior vice president and chief power grid officer for Duke Energy. “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.”