Duke Energy announces leadership changes in its generation and operational excellence organization
Rhea-AI Summary
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) announced that Preston Gillespie, executive vice president and chief generation officer and enterprise operational excellence, will retire after 40 years of service, remaining with the company through March 1, 2027. Effective March 1, 2026, Gillespie will shift responsibility to guide the company’s critical decision about new nuclear while Kelvin Henderson is appointed senior vice president, chief generation officer and enterprise operational excellence and joins the senior management committee. Steven Capps will become senior vice president and chief nuclear officer reporting to Henderson.
Positive
- Planned succession with Kelvin Henderson named chief generation officer effective Mar 1, 2026
- Internal promotions preserve institutional knowledge and operational continuity
- Steven Capps promoted to chief nuclear officer to support nuclear leadership
Negative
- Retirement of a 40‑year executive may reduce long‑tenured operational experience
- Gillespie to guide a critical new nuclear decision while retiring, concentrating responsibility
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, MDU gained 0.49%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
"Our customers rely on us for dependable, affordable energy, while a rapidly changing world demands greater speed, agility and innovation," said Harry Sideris, president and chief executive officer. "The depth of leadership talent and thoughtful transition provides the continuity that allows the company to deliver today and invest for the future – supporting the growth we are delivering for our communities across our service territories.
"On behalf of everyone at Duke Energy, I want to thank Preston for his decades of dedicated service to the company," continued Sideris. "Over the course of 40-plus years, Preston has been an invaluable asset whose leadership and commitment have shaped our culture and driven our generation and operational excellence division to new heights. His unwavering focus on safety, performance and cost efficiency has set the standard for our industry and inspired those around him."
Gillespie's leadership has included responsibility for the safe, reliable and efficient operations of Duke Energy's fleet generating capacity of over 50,000 megawatts. He previously served as Duke Energy's chief nuclear officer. In this role, he was responsible for the safe and efficient operation of the nation's largest regulated nuclear generating fleet in the nation. He joined the company in 1986 as an assistant engineer at Oconee Nuclear Station, where he earned his senior reactor operator license and held positions in a variety of roles in engineering and operations.
New Leadership Appointments – Effective March 1, 2026
- Kelvin
Henderson will be appointed senior vice president, chief generation officer and enterprise operational excellence and will join the company's senior management committee, reporting to Sideris.Henderson currently serves as senior vice president and chief nuclear officer. As chief generation officer,Henderson will manage a vast portfolio of generation assets as the company expands to meet growing energy demand while keeping costs to customers as low as possible. With more than 35 years of nuclear experience, including the last five years as chief nuclear officer at Duke Energy, Kelvin brings extensive expertise to his new position. - Steven Capps will assume the role of senior vice president and chief nuclear officer, reporting to
Henderson . Capps is currently senior vice president, new nuclear development and operations support. He has served in a variety of roles at Duke Energy for over three decades, where he has held significant leadership roles within the nuclear division.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in
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.
Media Contact: Mary Scott Winstead
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
FAQ
When will Preston Gillespie retire from Duke Energy (DUK)?
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