Duke Energy dropped close to $1 billion with North Carolina-based suppliers in 2025—and that’s just the start. The Charlotte-headquartered utility shared the figure this week, along with a projection that the total could climb toward $5 billion over the next five years. It’s a signal of where the company is putting its money as energy demand keeps rising across the states it serves.
Duke Energy discloses $1 billion in North Carolina supplier spending for 2025
The announcement came from Katie Aittola, Duke Energy’s senior vice president of supply chain, real estate, and chief procurement officer. Her words were direct: “By working with American suppliers, Duke Energy is helping deliver reliable service and value for customers while reinvesting customer dollars in the local economies we serve.”
The five-year projection isn’t a one-time splash. It points to a deliberate, long-term strategy to keep supplier dollars inside North Carolina — building something more durable than a single fiscal year’s spending report.
Why Duke Energy is directing spending toward domestic and in-state suppliers
Duke Energy has leaned on local sourcing for a while, but the scale here deserves attention. More than 97% of the company’s $17.2 billion in annual sourcing already goes to U.S.-based suppliers. The logic is straightforward: reduce supply chain risk and keep critical equipment closer to where it’s actually needed.
Growing energy demand across North Carolina—and the company’s wider service territory—is pushing that logic even harder. When the grid is under pressure, having reliable access to transformers, turbines, and infrastructure components nearby isn’t just good policy. It becomes a practical necessity.
Specific suppliers and equipment involved in the investment
Two major suppliers appear prominently in Duke Energy’s disclosure. GE Vernova, based in Goldsboro, N.C., provides transformers and electrification equipment. Troy Kabrich, the site’s director in Goldsboro, said the company is “proud to provide the critical transformers and other electrification equipment that enables Duke Energy to help the people of North Carolina thrive.”
Siemens Energy, headquartered in Charlotte, supplies gas turbines. Its North America president, Matt Neal, described a “robust, decades-long foundation in North Carolina” and said the equipment produced there is “helping meet our nation’s unprecedented growth in energy.” Both companies framed their Duke Energy partnerships as community investments rather than just contracts.
Expected effects on grid reliability, jobs, and local economies
The goals here go beyond getting equipment delivered on time. Duke Energy says the supplier spending is meant to prepare the grid for growing demand — sending economic ripple effects through communities across the state in the process. Keeping domestic manufacturing jobs intact is part of that equation.
N.C. Chamber President and CEO Gary Salamido put it plainly: “Investments like these strengthen communities, support local businesses, and reinforce the supply chains and partnerships that power North Carolina’s growth.” Utility procurement decisions, it turns out, touch manufacturing, employment, and regional economic stability well beyond the energy sector itself.
Background: Duke Energy’s scale and energy transition commitments
It helps to know the size of the company behind these numbers. Duke Energy is a Fortune 150 company serving 8.7 million electric customers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, owning 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity and employing roughly 26,400 people.
The company is also mid-transition on the energy side, targeting net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon from electricity generation by 2050. Getting there requires investment in grid upgrades, natural gas, nuclear, renewables, and storage. All of it needs equipment. All of it feeds directly into the supplier spending Duke Energy just disclosed.
Key recipients are GE Vernova and Siemens Energy
Duke Energy spent nearly $1 billion with North Carolina-based suppliers in 2025 and expects that total to approach $5 billion over the next five years. More than 97% of its $17.2 billion in annual sourcing already supports U.S.-based suppliers, with in-state partners like GE Vernova in Goldsboro and Siemens Energy in Charlotte among the key recipients.
The investments target grid readiness, supply chain resilience, and domestic manufacturing jobs — and state business leaders read the spending as a real contributor to North Carolina’s economic growth. For a company serving nearly 9 million electric customers across six states, where it directs its procurement dollars carries weight. For the grid, yes. But also for the communities that sit behind it.
Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.
