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

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Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and its subsidiary Piedmont Natural Gas are using National Safe Digging Day on Aug. 11 to urge contractors, homeowners and businesses to call 811 at least three business days before any digging or excavation project. By calling this nationwide toll-free number, local utilities will mark underground lines such as electric, natural gas, water, sewer, phone and cable TV with stakes, flags or paint.

From January to June 2026, the companies reported nearly 4,500 damages to underground electric and natural gas lines across their service territories, including over 1,300 natural gas facility damages and more than 3,100 electric network damages. In 2025, they reported nearly 9,800 such incidents, underscoring the safety importance of using 811.

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• 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 nearly 4,500 times this year 
• Video here: Learn how the 811 process works

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 2026, Duke Energy and Piedmont reported damage to nearly 4,500 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 just over 1,300 damages to underground natural gas facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. (This number includes damages to Piedmont's Tennessee infrastructure prior to the sale of Piedmont's Tennessee business to Spire on March 31.)
• Duke Energy reported more than 3,100 damages to its underground electric network in all its service territories.
• In 2025, Piedmont and Duke Energy reported nearly 9,800 damages to natural gas and electric lines.

Our view  

"As summer projects wrap up and fall projects begin, remember to call 811 before you dig," said Emily Henson, senior vice president and president of Duke Energy's natural gas business. "This simple, free step to locate underground utility lines helps prevent costly damages and outages. And most importantly, it helps keep you and our communities safe."

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 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.

More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities. 

Piedmont Natural Gas 

Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, distributes natural gas to more than 1 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in North Carolina and South Carolina. More information: piedmontng.com. Follow Piedmont Natural Gas: Facebook. 

Contact: Jason Wheatley
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy

FAQ

What is National Safe Digging Day and how are Duke Energy (DUK) and Piedmont Natural Gas involved in 2026?

National Safe Digging Day on August 11 promotes calling 811 before digging. According to Duke Energy, the company and Piedmont Natural Gas are using 2026’s observance to remind customers and excavators to contact 811 at least three business days before any excavation project.

What is 811 and how does it work for Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas customers?

811 is a nationwide toll-free number to request marking of underground utility lines before digging. According to Duke Energy, calling 811 prompts local utilities to send crews to mark electric, natural gas, water, sewer, phone and cable TV lines with stakes, flags or paint.

How many underground utility damages did Duke Energy (DUK) and Piedmont Natural Gas report in 2026?

From January to June 2026, Duke Energy and Piedmont reported nearly 4,500 damages to underground electric and natural gas lines. According to Duke Energy, this included just over 1,300 damages to underground natural gas facilities and more than 3,100 damages to its underground electric network.

In which states did Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas report underground line damage in early 2026?

According to Duke Energy, damages between January and June 2026 occurred in its service territories of North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana. Natural gas facility damage figures cover North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky, including Tennessee facilities sold to Spire on March 31.

How far in advance should Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas customers call 811 before digging?

Duke Energy advises calling 811 at least three business days before starting any outdoor digging or excavation project. According to Duke Energy, this lead time allows local utilities to visit the site and mark underground lines, helping to prevent damages, outages and safety risks.

How many underground line damages did Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas report in 2025?

In 2025, Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas reported nearly 9,800 damages to natural gas and electric lines in their territories. According to Duke Energy, these figures highlight the ongoing need for safe digging practices and the importance of calling 811 before starting excavation work.