ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — For the 13th consecutive year, the Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Duke Energy Florida as a Tree Line USA utility, highlighting its efforts in tree care.

The Tree Line USA Program demonstrates how trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and citizens by highlighting best management practices in public and private utility arboriculture.

Trees and vegetation are part of Florida’s natural  landscape, but they are also one of the leading causes of power outages for utilities. In order to keep electricity reliable, Duke Energy has a responsibility to protect the lines that deliver power to homes and businesses across the region.

“Receiving this award for the 13th straight year is a testament to the work our employees do to protect the environment and serve our customers,” said Catherine Stempien, Duke Energy Florida president. “Trees are beautiful additions to yards, providing benefits of shade and helping conserve energy, which is why we work to educate customers about planting the right tree in the right place so we can continue to provide safe and reliable energy.”

Tree Line USA evaluates applicants based on several criteria including adherence to industry best practices for tree care, training of employees and contractors, implementation of public education and tree planting projects, and participation in annual Arbor Day events.

For the last two years, Duke Energy Florida, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy-Saving Trees program, provided nearly 6,000 trees in 1-gallon pots to customers – for free – in honor of Florida Arbor Day in January.

Important points to remember when planting or caring for trees:

• Customers, property owners and untrained contractors should not prune or cut trees and plants near power lines.

• When planting trees near power lines, be sure to select a low-growing variety in order to minimize impact to the lines.

• Contact Florida 811 prior to digging to locate any underground utilities which are often located in utility easements.

For information about planning and planting vegetation around electrical facilities, please visit: https://www.duke-energy.com/community/trees-and-rights-of-way/how-we-manage-trees/plan-before-you-plant.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns a diverse generation mix of natural gas, coal and renewables, providing about 10,200 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.8 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 125 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 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 approximately 7.7 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 more than 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 2019 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list, and Forbes’ 2019 “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.    

Contact: Peveeta Persaud
Office: 727.820.5592 | 24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy