Duke Energy ‘Hire North Carolina’ list promotes ‘local’ for construction projects

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CHARLOTTE — Duke Energy is seeking North Carolina-based businesses, including women- and minority-owned companies, to register with its “Hire North Carolina” list.

Corporate spokesperson Meredith Archie said the company has been working for years to “diversify and expand its supply chain” through its supplier diversity team. As a result of those efforts, Duke Energy spent $1.7 billion with North Carolina suppliers, including more than $316 million with women- or minority-owned North Carolina businesses in 2019 alone.

Last year, the N.C. Utilities Commission instituted a “Hire North Carolina” rule which will go into effect on July 1 of this year. Duke Energy and the Commission have been working together for the past year, providing feedback, to create the final language for the program. Duke Energy’s Hire North Carolina list is part of that rule.

“The rule itself is a great compliment to what we’re already doing,” Archie said. “It put formality, transparency and reporting to the outreach initiative that we have undertaken for several years now. ”

Duke Energy is developing a list of contractors in North Carolina, including women and minority-owned businesses, to be considered for utility projects that exceed $700,000 in the state. This includes new construction, extension projects and other utility and repair projects. The list will be provided to the N.C. Utilities Commission, as well as contractors Duke Energy uses to encourage them to choose North Carolina-based businesses for their sub-contracting work.

It will also be coordinating with colleges, universities and trade schools to “raise awareness of career opportunities” for these types of projects. The company will be sending annual reports “detailing the progress” of the program to the N.C. Utilities Commission.

“We want to continue to support job creation and investment with suppliers, vendors and contractors who, like many of our team members, are proud to call North Carolina home,” Melody Birmingham, senior vice president of supply chain and chief procurement officer for Duke Energy said. “Hire North Carolina will be a useful resource for Duke Energy to expand access to our local and diverse talent for construction projects.”

Duke Energy is encouraging North Carolina-based and minority-owned contractors and subcontractors to join the program. Information on registering for the Hire North Carolina program can be found at www.duke-energy.com/partner-with-us/suppliers.

Casey Mann can be reached at CaseyMann@Chathamnr.com.