As of 2 p.m. on January 26, Duke Energy had restored power to 131,059 customers across North Carolina and South Carolina, leaving 21,976 customers still without service following Winter Storm Fern. In North Carolina alone, crews repaired equipment and energized 93,609 accounts, while 10,554 remained offline. In South Carolina, 37,450 customers regained power, with 11,422 still waiting. These figures underscore the utility’s ability to mobilize resources rapidly across its 4.7 million‐customer footprint in the Carolinas and highlight the remaining challenges in regions where hazardous road conditions are delaying repairs.

Duke Energy deployed more than 18,000 lineworkers, vegetation specialists, damage assessors and support staff from 27 states and Canada to address ice‐related outages, complemented by an additional 500 personnel from its Florida operations. The company utilized self-healing grid technology to reroute power around damaged lines and is prepared to bring in extra out-of-state crews on short notice. This coordinated mutual-aid response aims to limit the duration of outages and control incremental overtime and equipment‐rental expenses, even as crews contend with ice-weighted limbs and subzero temperatures that can increase repair complexity and costs by up to 30% in the hardest-hit counties.

In the third quarter, Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft FI reduced its holdings in Duke Energy by 8.6%, selling 6,054 shares and bringing its total to 64,583 shares, valued at approximately $7.99 million at the time of filing. This transaction forms part of a broader trend in which institutional and hedge funds—now accounting for 65.3% of outstanding shares—are actively rebalancing their positions. Observers note that such adjustments may foreshadow shifting analyst consensus and could influence the company’s cost of capital as it advances its multibillion-dollar grid modernization and cleaner‐energy investments.