In 2022, Duke Energy released 62,000t of air pollutants and was responsible for 1.9 m3 of oil spills

Around 94% of the global population is exposed to air pollution, which causes 7 million (Mn) deaths per year¹. In power plants, burning fossil fuels for electricity generation releases sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_X), and others that may negatively impact human health². Exposure to NOx and SOx can cause lungs and heart diseases³. Oil slips can cause groundwater contamination, polluting drinking water supplies⁴. Oil can stay in the soil or groundwater for 20 to 30 years⁵. Coal ash contains hazardous substances such as arsenic and lead which can cause cancer, infertility, and others⁹. 

Duke Energy is a US energy firm⁶. In 2022, it released 60,000 tonnes (t) of air pollutants, comprising 41,000 t of NO_X and 19,000 t of SO₂^7;p39. In 2022, it reported 10 spills equivalent to 1.9 m^37;p42. These spills contaminated about 1.9 Mn m³ of water¹⁰.

Duke's electric substations in North and South Carolina released 11 t of sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) into the environment in 2020¹¹. SF₆ gas inhalation can cause lung irritation, convulsions, and kidney damage^12;p1. In the last decade, Duke has released 119 t of SF₆¹¹. In 2020, Duke and North Carolina came to an agreement for the removal of 72.5 Mn t of coal ash from six of its plants¹³. Its coal ash has been stored for many years in ponds or landfills, frequently close to waterways¹³. Duke has a history of polluting; in 2018, at three of its stations, coal ash leached into groundwater and the nearby rivers which led to $156,000 fines¹³.

In a 2021 assessment, Duke's CCR-multi unit in North Carolina was reported to have arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, lead, lithium, and thallium all above their respective threasholds^15;pc3. Duke operates 11 nuclear plants in North and South Carolina⁸. In North Carolina, air pollution is the third-leading cause of premature death, resulting in 6,000 hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses and 2,000 for cardiovascular illnesses per year¹⁴.

Duke's pollution has harmful impacts on people.