Four Businesses Honored with 2020 Duke Energy Power Partner Award

CHARLOTTE, N.C., November 4, 2020 /3BL Media/ – Four outstanding organizations have been chosen to receive Duke Energy’s long-standing Power Partner Award for 2020.

The Power Partner award program, which began in 1992, honors businesses and other organizations that achieve notable results in categories including solutions innovation, community excellence, economic development, sustainability innovation, storm restoration and renewable excellence.

“These businesses demonstrate both operational excellence and a commitment to the welfare of their respective local communities,” said Chris Edge, Duke Energy vice president of large business customers. “We are honored to do business with each one.”

The 2020 Power Partner Award-winning organizations include:

Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center
Kissimmee, Fla.
Category: Innovation in Resiliency

When the resort and convention center began to investigate a backup power solution for their more than 1,400 guest rooms and 400,000 square feet of meeting space, they turned to their longtime energy provider, Duke Energy.The proposed solution: build an on-site 11.5 megawatt microgrid under the company’s Premier Power program. The resort then leveraged this solution to participate in Duke Energy’s demand-side management program, which allows  the utility to curtail a portion of Gaylord’s energy load during times of high demand as needed. The microgrid then makes up the balance of the resort’s energy demand, assuring them uninterrupted power while maintaining the reliability of the Duke Energy grid.

Teijin Carbon Fibers
Greenwood, S.C.
Category: Solution Innovation

When Teijin Carbon Fibers announced plans to invest over $600 million in a new state-of-the-art carbon fiber production site in Greenwood, they turned to Duke Energy for its engineering and operational expertise. Working collaboratively to design a central utility plant capable of delivering major utilities, Teijin is now entrusting Duke Energy to construct and operate this first-of-a-kind solution.

Pinehurst Resort and Country Club
Pinehurst, N.C.
Category: Storm Restoration

When mobilizing for a major power restoration effort, a large, easily accessible staging area is a must. With the forces of nature raging against Duke Energy’s power grid, securing such an area has never been more important. Fortunately, Duke Energy has partners like Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, who recognize this need during challenging weather events. Pinehurst has made its Aberdeen development site available for Duke Energy’s storm restoration efforts at no cost, helping the utility promptly restore service to customers throughout the region.

Shaw Air Force Base
Sumter, S.C.
Category: Economic Development

Shaw Air Force Base needed to enhance the reliability of its key systems, so base officials turned to Duke Energy to develop an 8-megawatt microgrid. The company will install, operate and maintain microgrid equipment, improving reliability for Shaw AFB while also helping provide relief during extreme heat or cold weather when the grid may be stressed.

About 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 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.

Media contact:
Lew Middleton
Office: 317.838.1505
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