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PR Newswire·

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

  • Aug. 11, 2026, marked National Safe Digging Day (811 Day) to emphasize the importance of marking underground utility lines before excavation.
  • Duke Energy & Piedmont Natural Gas reported nearly 4,500 damages to underground electric & natural gas lines in the first six months of 2026.
  • Specific damage data for Jan-June 2026 includes over 1,300 natural gas facility damages in NC, SC, TN, OH, & KY, plus more than 3,100 electric network damages across all service territories.
  • The 811 initiative, led by PHMSA, requires contractors & homeowners to call 811 at least three business days before digging to have lines marked with stakes, flags, or paint.
  • Service territories affected by reported damages include North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, & Indiana.
  • Emily Henson, Duke Energy's natural gas business president, urged individuals to call 811 to prevent costly damages, outages, & safety hazards.
  • Duke Energy serves 8.7 million electric customers & 1.6 million natural gas customers, while its subsidiary Piedmont Natural Gas serves over 1 million customers in NC & SC.