INDIANA – When the lights go out—whether due to severe weather, vehicle accidents, or animal interference—lineworkers respond by turning on the lights for our customers and communities.
On April 18, Duke Energy recognizes National Lineworker Appreciation Day and the work of these vital employees. They ensure customers and communities have safe, reliable power and play a key role in enabling the infrastructure to drive our energy future.
“Our line, substation, and relay technicians are invaluable teammates who are among the first to respond in the aftermath of storms and large-scale weather events that can impact thousands, often making the scene safe for other first responders,” said Scott Batson, chief power grid officer at Duke Energy. “Safely powering the communities we serve is our No. 1 job, and it could not be accomplished without the extraordinary commitments of these teams.”
Just another day on the job
For thousands of Duke Energy lineworkers—from transmission technicians working on high-voltage transmission lines that carry electricity from power plants to distribution technicians working on the lines that have power to homes and businesses—no matter the circumstances, it’s just another day on the job.
Here are a few things to know about this bold group and their unique role:
§ Extreme elements come with the work environment. Lineworkers face challenging conditions, including storms, oppressive heat, bitterly cold temperatures, and flooding.
§ The job is elevated. Line work frequently requires work in challenging weather conditions on transmission towers at heights of up to 120 feet while attached to a 40-foot pole or from an elevated bucket truck – always with strict safety precautions in place.
§ They get physical. Line work is an outdoor, hands-on, physical role. Besides working safely with high voltage, the steel-toe boots, hooks for scaling poles, and climbing belts lineworkers use, or wear can weigh up to 30 pounds each.
§ Commitment is contagious. Lineworkers’ dedication to their jobs, passion for their craft, continued learning, and eternal support of one another on and off the job make a difference in the lives of customers who depend on reliable power.
§ Family and community are priorities. Lineworkers often live close to and work in their communities – from larger cities to more rural towns – and Duke Energy continues to hire across the geographic areas it serves.
Conversing in code is customary. Lineworkers have their lingo – nicknames for tools and tasks passed down from generation to generation.
Long-term learning improves expertise. Lineworkers are highly skilled professionals who undergo rigorous training to work with electricity safely and efficiently. Their extensive training progression over several years includes written and field tests that must be completed to demonstrate expertise and job knowledge.
§Safety is foundational. Line teams prioritize safety above everything else – mitigating hazards whenever possible and always watching out for the safety of those around them.
Guarding the Future Grid
Beyond keeping the lights on, lineworkers also play a crucial role in power grid improvement projects that are helping modernize and strengthen Duke Energy’s system. This includes protecting against storms and other impacts, making the grid more reliable and resilient, and integrating new, cleaner energy technologies.
“The grid is a massive, complex system that works nonstop to provide reliable power to our customers. Our transmission and distribution line, substation, and relay technicians have a fundamental role in ensuring it is prepared to support the growth we are seeing in our regions,” said Batson. “This work can include upgrading lines and poles, undergrounding outage-prone lines where data indicates it is prudent to do so, and enhancing grid reliability through the integration of smart, self-healing technology – which saved more than 1.5 million customer interruptions and avoided more than 3.5 million hours of customer outage time in 2023.”
Hiring and developing craft and skilled talent is critical to address customers’ growing energy needs and continue to make grid upgrades for the future. The company continues hiring talent and collaborates with community colleges across its footprint to recruit diverse, skilled candidates.
Thank a lineworker on social media
National Lineworker Appreciation Day is April 18, but throughout the week, Duke Energy will share extraordinary stories on the social platform X at @DukeEnergy and Facebook at facebook.com/DukeEnergy in appreciation of the essential workers who power our lives. To honor lineworkers and their families on social media on National Lineworker Appreciation Day, please use the hashtag #ThankALineworker.
