Lineworkers chase storms, climb towering poles and are always ready when severe weather strikes. And when the lights go out, lineworkers shine.
Whether perched on a 40-ft pole or sky high in an elevated bucket truck, lineworkers ensure the electricity is flowing to power vital infrastructure from hospitals and water treatment facilities to businesses and industries and our everyday conveniences at home.
On April 18, the nation celebrates its lineworkers’ role in powering the lives of millions of people across the country for National Lineman Appreciation Day.
“Powering the lives of hard-working families and communities is the most important job we have,” says Lloyd Yates, executive vice president customer and delivery operations and president for Duke Energy Carolinas. “Lineworkers’ brave and vital work on the front lines requires dedication, passion and continuous training. Today, we honor them for keeping the lights on across America.”
More than 7,800 Duke Energy and contract lineworkers are part of the Duke Energy team. They are responsible for constructing, operating and maintaining equipment and more than 300,000 miles of power lines in Duke Energy's service territories – that is enough to wrap around the Earth 12 times.
Hiring Lineworkers
Duke Energy and other companies who work on the electric grid are hiring. In fact, nearly 900 lineworkers are needed this year to support Duke Energy's grid improvement work. Visit the Web site or text "lineworker" to 67076 to stay connected about new lineworker opportunities. As positions become available, the recruiting team for Duke Energy will notify the talent community.
Technology
While more traditional aspects of the job such as climbing poles and towers remain, technology has further enhanced the profession. Drones can be used to assess damage and string lines in areas with limited access following severe weather events.
New portable technology used by lineworkers in the field helps better inform customers on the status of outages including the causes, crew updates and the estimated times of restoration.
Technology developed by Duke Energy called “Ping It” helps crews quickly identify remaining outages as repairs are made to damaged lines. The technology “pings” customers’ smart meters to verify the status of an outage, which saves crews time in the field, especially when restoring power after a storm.
Attention linemen: Jump on social media today to read the posts with the tag #thankalineman to read more notes of gratitude and appreciation for our nation's field workforce.
