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| U.S. Franchised Electric and Gas | Print |
Duke Energy’s franchised electric and gas operations deliver safe, reliable and competitively priced electricity to more than 3.8 million electric customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. A diverse fuel mix of nuclear, coal-fired, hydroelectric and combustion-turbine generation provides approximately 28,000 megawatts of total generating capability. These operations also serve more than 500,000 natural gas customers in Ohio and Kentucky.
The successful integration of our franchised electric businesses will achieve cost savings and enhance customer service and reliability across all service territories.
Ongoing segment earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) for U.S. Franchised Electric and Gas in 2006 is expected to be approximately $1.95 billion.
Population growth — and demand for Duke Power’s attractive electric rates — continue in the Piedmont Carolinas. New high-tech industries such as biotechnology and automotive research moved to the region, replacing lost business and jobs in the textile sector.
Regional growth continued to add to Duke Power’s total customer base, which grew by 43,000 customers — about a 2 percent net increase — in 2005. In July, the company set a new peak demand record of 18,687 megawatts.
To meet growing demand, Duke Power focused on new generation plans — and on operating its current generation and delivery systems as efficiently as possible. In 2005, the company’s fossil/hydro fleet set a new all-time generation record, beating the previous record by more than 2 million megawatt-hours. Duke Power’s two largest steam stations, Marshall and Belews Creek, were ranked second and third in efficiency among U.S. coal-fired stations by Electric Light & Power magazine. And our nuclear fleet achieved its second highest capacity factor ever — 93.68 percent, up from 2004’s 90.23 percent. (Capacity factor measures how much electricity the system produces as a percent of its total capability.)
In October, Duke Power confirmed it is proceeding with the federal application process for a combined construction and operating license for two Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactors. A potential site in South Carolina has been selected for a joint project with Southern Company.
Cinergy’s regulated businesses contributed approximately $645 million in adjusted EBIT in 2005, compared to approximately $586 million in 2004, while advancements in reliability and customer service were recognized by regulatory authorities and earned national recognition.
Ohio regulators approved a $51.5 million electric distribution rate increase, the first in a decade, for Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. (CG&E). Effective in 2006, the increase recognized CG&E’s reliability improvements over the past 12 years. Kentucky regulators approved an $8.1 million natural gas distribution rate increase for Union Light, Heat and Power (ULH&P) for continued improvement of its gas distribution system. PSI Energy (PSI) reached a settlement to recover approximately $1 billion to comply with new federal clean air and mercury rules. The five-year plan will result in further significant reductions in the emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides as well as mercury emissions. And state and federal regulators also agreed to the transfer of approximately 1,100 megawatts of generation assets from CG&E to ULH&P to meet future customer demand.
In January 2006, the CG&E and PSI customer call centers in Ohio and Indiana were recertified by J.D. Power and Associates. Last year, Cinergy was the first energy company in the United States to be certified for providing “An Outstanding Customer Service Experience.” (Duke Power was the second.) And, for the second year in a row, Cinergy received the Edison Electric Institute’s emergency assistance award, this time for the help it gave Gulf Coast utilities in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last fall. In December after a severe ice storm, Cinergy crews worked alongside their Duke Power counterparts in the Carolinas to restore service to 700,000 customers.