Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas urge everyone to call 811 before digging

• Aug. 11 is National Safe Digging Day, recognizing the importance of having underground utility lines marked prior to digging or excavating

• Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas reported damage to underground electric and natural gas lines more than 5,000 times this year

• Video here : Learn how the 811 process works

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Aug. 11 is National Safe Digging Day (also known as 811 Day) and Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas are advising customers and excavators to call 811 at least three business days before beginning any outdoor project that involves digging.

What is 811?

811 Day is an annual initiative led by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to ensure the practice of safe digging is echoed in communities by calling 811, a nationwide toll-free number, before any excavation project.

Contractors, homeowners, business owners and anyone preparing for an excavation project should call 811 at least three business days before digging begins. The local utilities will then send a crew to mark underground lines in the area (electric, natural gas, water, sewer, phone, cable TV and others) with stakes, flags or paint.

Damage data by the numbers:

• From January to June 2025, Duke Energy and Piedmont reported damage to more than 5,000 electric and natural gas lines in their service territories (North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana).
  
• More specifically, Duke Energy and Piedmont reported about 1,450 damages to underground natural gas facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.
  
• Duke Energy reported about 3,600 damages to its underground electric network in all its service territories.
  
• In 2024, Piedmont and Duke Energy reported more than 8,870 damages to natural gas and electric lines.

Our view

"Whether you're finishing a summer yard project or starting something new this fall, call 811 before you dig," said Brian Weisker, senior vice president and president of Duke Energy's natural gas business. "Damaging a utility line can be dangerous and costly, but it's easily prevented by this simple step. Safety and reliability start with contacting 811."

Take action

For additional information about 811, visit Call 811 Before You Dig. To contact the 811 center in your state, dial 811 or visit call811.com.

For additional information, see our story on illumination.

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.

Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, distributes natural gas to more than 1.2 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Piedmont Natural Gas earned the No. 1 spot in customer satisfaction with residential natural gas service in the South among large utilities, according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study. More information: piedmontng.com. Follow Piedmont Natural Gas: X, Facebook.

Contact: Zach Vavricka
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