Duke Energy has announced changes in its leadership team as Preston Gillespie, executive vice president, chief generation officer and enterprise operational excellence, plans to retire after four decades with the company. Gillespie will remain with Duke Energy through March 1, 2027, and starting March 1, 2026, will take on responsibilities related to guiding the company’s decisions about new nuclear initiatives.
Harry Sideris, president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy, commented on the transition: “Our customers rely on us for dependable, affordable energy, while a rapidly changing world demands greater speed, agility and innovation. The depth of leadership talent and thoughtful transition provides the continuity that allows the company to deliver today and invest for the future – supporting the growth we are delivering for our communities across our service territories.
“On behalf of everyone at Duke Energy, I want to thank Preston for his decades of dedicated service to the company,” continued Sideris. “Over the course of 40-plus years, Preston has been an invaluable asset whose leadership and commitment have shaped our culture and driven our generation and operational excellence division to new heights. His unwavering focus on safety, performance and cost efficiency has set the standard for our industry and inspired those around him.”
Gillespie’s tenure included overseeing safe operations across Duke Energy’s generating fleet exceeding 50,000 megawatts. He previously served as chief nuclear officer where he managed what is described as the nation’s largest regulated nuclear generating fleet. He began his career at Oconee Nuclear Station in 1986.
Effective March 1, 2026, Kelvin Henderson will be promoted to senior vice president, chief generation officer and enterprise operational excellence. Henderson currently serves as senior vice president and chief nuclear officer at Duke Energy. In his new role he will oversee a broad portfolio of generation assets as Duke Energy works to meet increasing energy demand while aiming to keep costs low for customers. Henderson brings more than three decades of experience in nuclear energy.
Steven Capps is set to become senior vice president and chief nuclear officer reporting directly to Henderson. Capps is currently responsible for new nuclear development and operations support at Duke Energy.
Duke Energy serves approximately 8.6 million electric customers across several states including North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. The company owns about 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity nationwide while its natural gas utilities serve around 1.7 million customers in multiple states.
The company continues investing in grid upgrades and cleaner forms of power such as natural gas, renewables including solar energy projects and energy storage. Additional information can be found at duke-energy.com or through their social media channels.
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