Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas urge everyone to call 811 before digging

CHARLOTTE — Aug. 11 is National Safe Digging Day (also known as 811 Day) and Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas are advising customers and excavators to call 811 at least three business days before beginning any outdoor project that involves digging.

What is 811?

811 Day is an annual initiative led by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to ensure the practice of safe digging is echoed in communities by calling 811, a nationwide toll-free number, before any excavation project.

Contractors, homeowners, business owners and anyone preparing for an excavation project should call 811 at least three business days before digging begins. The local utilities will then send a crew to mark underground lines in the area (electric, natural gas, water, sewer, phone, cable TV and others) with stakes, flags or paint.

Damage data by the numbers:  

• From January to June 2026, Duke Energy and Piedmont reported damage to nearly 4,500 electric and natural gas lines in their service territories (North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana).
• More specifically, Duke Energy and Piedmont reported just over 1,300 damages to underground natural gas facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. (This number includes damages to Piedmont’s Tennessee infrastructure prior to the sale of Piedmont’s Tennessee business to Spire on March 31.)
• Duke Energy reported more than 3,100 damages to its underground electric network in all its service territories.
• In 2025, Piedmont and Duke Energy reported nearly 9,800 damages to natural gas and electric lines.

Our view  

“As summer projects wrap up and fall projects begin, remember to call 811 before you dig,” said Emily Henson, senior vice president and president of Duke Energy’s natural gas business. “This simple, free step to locate underground utility lines helps prevent costly damages and outages. And most importantly, it helps keep you and our communities safe.”

Take action

For additional information about 811, visit Call 811 Before You Dig. To contact the 811 center in your state, dial 811 or visit call811.com.