Duke Energy rolls out 'Hire North Carolina' program for major construction projects

Rhea-AI Summary

Duke Energy has launched the "Hire North Carolina" program aimed at promoting economic development and supporting local communities. This initiative focuses on utilizing locally owned and diverse contractors for utility projects exceeding $700,000 in North Carolina. In 2019, Duke invested over $1.7 billion with local suppliers, including $316 million with diverse businesses. The program includes outreach to educational institutions to raise awareness about career opportunities in energy and construction fields. Duke Energy is committed to transparency by providing annual progress reports to the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

Positive

• Launch of "Hire North Carolina" program to enhance local economic development.
• Duke Energy plans to utilize diverse contractors, benefiting local businesses.
• Investment of over $1.7 billion with local suppliers in 2019, signifying strong community support.

Negative

• None.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to promote economic development and support North Carolina communities, Duke Energy is implementing the new program – "Hire North Carolina" – to maximize the use of locally owned and diverse contractors for utility projects in the state.

"We want to continue to support job creation and investment with suppliers, vendors and contractors who, like many of our team members, are proud to call North Carolina home," said Melody Birmingham, senior vice president of supply chain and chief procurement officer for Duke Energy. "Hire North Carolina will be a useful resource for Duke Energy to expand access to our local and diverse talent for construction projects."

"As a small business owner, I am passionate about supporting other local and women and minority-owned businesses," said Neeta Singh, owner of Tiger Controls, a Greensboro-based electrical and electronic distributor and engineering services provider. "At a time when many small businesses are facing financial challenges, I appreciate this new initiative to identify diverse suppliers. This program will not only drive in-state investments but open up additional opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses, and I look forward to adding our company name to the Hire North Carolina list."

Qualifying projects

Hire North Carolina, as directed and overseen by the North Carolinas Utilities Commission (NCUC), covers contracts for construction, extension and repair of facilities or other utility projects that are in North Carolina and exceed $700,000 in cost.

Duke Energy will continue to consider in-state and diversity when evaluating projects of this size and will provide the Hire North Carolina list to prime contractors to promote local suppliers for construction projects.

In 2019, Duke Energy spent more than $1.7 billion with suppliers operating in North Carolina and more than $316 million with diverse North Carolina businesses. Duke Energy utilities will provide the NCUC with annual reports detailing the progress of the program.

'Hire North Carolina' list

As part of this program, Duke Energy is developing a list of resident contractors, including women- and minority-owned businesses, in order to expand the local contracting source pool within the state. A resident contractor is a contractor or subcontractor who has their primary business in North Carolina. If a contractor meets these qualifications, they are encouraged to register for the list in order to be considered for Hire North Carolina projects and contracts. Registration instructions can be found on the Duke Energy Supplier webpage at duke-energy.com/partner-with-us/suppliers.

Higher education and technical schools outreach

As part of the program, Duke Energy will also be conducting outreach with North Carolina's institutions of higher education, community colleges, and other trade and technical schools to raise awareness of career opportunities in the energy, construction and other contractor fields that support our critical mission to reliably serve North Carolina's energy needs.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 29,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities and 2,300 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve 7.8 million retail electric customers in six states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to 1.6 million customers in five states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2020 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Meredith Archie
800.559.3853

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duke-energy-rolls-out-hire-north-carolina-program-for-major-construction-projects-301076872.html

SOURCE Duke Energy

FAQ

What is the 'Hire North Carolina' program by Duke Energy?

The 'Hire North Carolina' program is an initiative by Duke Energy to promote economic development by utilizing locally owned and diverse contractors for utility projects exceeding $700,000 in North Carolina.

How much did Duke Energy spend on local suppliers in 2019?

In 2019, Duke Energy spent over $1.7 billion with suppliers operating in North Carolina, including more than $316 million with diverse businesses.

What types of projects are covered by the 'Hire North Carolina' program?

The program covers contracts for construction, extension, and repair of utility facilities or projects in North Carolina that exceed $700,000 in cost.

How will Duke Energy report on the progress of the 'Hire North Carolina' initiative?

Duke Energy will provide annual reports to the North Carolina Utilities Commission detailing the progress of the 'Hire North Carolina' program.