Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas are encouraging people to call 811 before starting any outdoor digging projects. The reminder comes as Aug. 11 marks National Safe Digging Day, an event focused on preventing damage to underground utility lines.
The 811 service is a nationwide, toll-free number managed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). It requires anyone planning excavation work—including contractors, homeowners, and business owners—to call at least three business days before digging begins. After calling, local utilities will send crews to mark the locations of underground lines such as electric, natural gas, water, sewer, phone, and cable TV with stakes, flags or paint.
Between January and June 2025, Duke Energy and Piedmont reported over 5,000 incidents of damage to underground electric and natural gas lines across their service territories in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana. Of these incidents, about 1,450 involved damages to underground natural gas facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. Duke Energy also reported around 3,600 cases of damage to its underground electric network during this period. In total for 2024 alone, more than 8,870 damages were recorded by both companies.
Brian Weisker, senior vice president and president of Duke Energy’s natural gas business said: “Whether you’re finishing a summer yard project or starting something new this fall, call 811 before you dig. Damaging a utility line can be dangerous and costly, but it’s easily prevented by this simple step. Safety and reliability start with contacting 811.”
For more information about safe digging practices or how the process works visit Call 811 Before You Dig (https://call811.com/). Additional resources can be found at illumination (https://illumination.duke-energy.com/).
Duke Energy serves approximately 8.6 million customers across six states through its electric utilities while its natural gas division provides services to about 1.7 million customers in five states. The company continues investing in grid upgrades and cleaner energy sources including renewables and storage technologies.
Piedmont Natural Gas distributes natural gas to over one million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. According to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study (https://www.jdpower.com/business/utilities/press-release/J-D-Power-2024-U-S-Gas-Utility-Residential-Customer-Satisfaction-Study), Piedmont earned the top ranking for customer satisfaction among large utilities in the southern United States.
Contact: Zach Vavricka
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