Following historic power restoration effort in mountain region, Duke Energy announces more than $2.2 million committed to date for disaster relief, rebuilding and readiness in North Carolina

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Nov 25, 2024, 10:05 ET

Funding will benefit nonprofits, local emergency management agencies and economic development organizations
Initiatives will support long-term recovery in western North Carolina to aid with ongoing challenges that extend far beyond power delivery

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy and its Foundation today announced it has supported local communities across North Carolina with over $2.2 million in aid for disaster relief, rebuilding and readiness efforts since Hurricane Helene's impact. The announcement comes on the heels of the company's historic power restoration effort in the state's western mountain region.

"Duke Energy is committed to supporting disaster relief and readiness in the communities we serve," said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy North Carolina state president. "We are proud to partner with nonprofit organizations and local emergency management agencies that are making a real impact in these efforts."

Supporting Communities

Over $1 million in Duke Energy Foundation grants have been distributed for immediate relief and long-term recovery in western North Carolina.

Additional aid provided to local communities for disaster relief, rebuilding and readiness from the company and its Foundation includes the following:

Flexibility was given for $500,000 of previous Duke Energy Foundation grants to be used for community relief and recovery through western North Carolina organizations.
More than $200,000 has been committed to economic development organizations to support the repair, improvement and advancement of industrial sites, buildings and infrastructure in western North Carolina.
New grants totaling $500,000 from the Duke Energy Foundation will support disaster readiness in central and eastern North Carolina.

WNC Communities serves over 20 counties in the western mountain region of North Carolina and has provided immediate relief for farmers whose agricultural operations were impacted by the storm.

"Duke Energy's support for our disaster relief program will make a big difference in assisting the agricultural community in our region in their recovery efforts," said Jennifer Ferre, executive director of WNC Communities. "This support demonstrates Duke Energy's commitment to making sure western North Carolina remains strong in the face of this crisis."

MANNA FoodBank, located in Asheville, has played a critical role in distributing food, water and supplies to western North Carolina communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.

"In the critical early days following the storm, Duke Energy was among the first to reach out, offering their assistance and partnership," said Claire Neal, CEO of MANNA FoodBank. "Their prompt and generous response has been instrumental in our disaster relief efforts, enabling us to provide much-needed food and resources to those affected by the devastation. Together, we are making a significant difference in the lives of our community members during this challenging time."

The Duke Energy Foundation has provided over $3.2 million in disaster preparedness and response grants in North Carolina since 2020.

Western North Carolina Grant Recipients

The Duke Energy Foundation awarded grants to the following organizations to support their disaster relief and recovery efforts in western North Carolina:

American Red Cross North Carolina
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce's Community Betterment Foundation Mountain Strong Fund
Baptists on Mission
Beloved Asheville
Caldwell County Emergency Services
Caldwell County United Way
Camp Grier
Community Foundation of Henderson County
Community Housing Coalition of Madison County
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Eblen Charities
Feeding Avery Families
Interfaith Assistance Ministries
Land of Sky Regional Council
MANNA Food Bank
McDowell County
McDowell County Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Mitchell County Development Foundation
Mitchell County Emergency Management
North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund at the United Way of North Carolina
Samaritan's Purse
Second Harvest Food Bank
Swain County
Transylvania County
United Way of Haywood
WNC Communities

A list of Duke Energy Foundation disaster readiness grant recipients in central and eastern North Carolina can be found here.

Historic Power Restoration Effort

Hurricane Helene was one of the most impactful storms in the company's history and required an unprecedented response to ensure swift power restoration for over 1.4 million outages in North Carolina.

Strategic resource staging, helicopter and drone operations, mobile substation deployments, advanced mapping techniques and close coordination with local, state and federal partners were critical to the success of the company's historic restoration operation in the mountain region.

Duke Energy crews were able to restore power to the hardest-hit areas of western North Carolina faster than expected by implementing innovative solutions in the field, and restoration is complete for customers able to receive service. Assistance and resources have been extended to those affected by Helene, and the company stands ready to assist customers with account questions and reconnections as damaged structures are repaired.

Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

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 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 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 clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

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.

Contact: Garrett Poorman
X (Twitter): @DE_GarrettP
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy