Duke Energy has announced that Preston Gillespie, executive vice president, chief generation officer and enterprise operational excellence, will retire after 40 years with the company. Gillespie will remain with Duke Energy through March 1, 2027 to support a transition period. Beginning March 1, 2026, he will focus on guiding the company’s decisions regarding new nuclear initiatives.
Harry Sideris, president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy, commented on the announcement: “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 oversight of more than 50,000 megawatts in generating capacity. He previously served as chief nuclear officer at Duke Energy where he managed operations for what is described as the nation’s largest regulated nuclear fleet. Gillespie began his career in 1986 as an assistant engineer at Oconee Nuclear Station.
Effective March 1, 2026, Kelvin Henderson will become senior vice president, chief generation officer and enterprise operational excellence. Henderson is currently senior vice president and chief nuclear officer; he brings over three decades of experience in nuclear energy to his new role. Steven Capps will take over as senior vice president and chief nuclear officer after serving in several key positions within Duke Energy’s nuclear division.
Duke Energy is among America’s largest energy holding companies with electric utilities serving approximately 8.6 million customers across six states—North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky—and natural gas utilities serving about 1.7 million customers in five states including Tennessee.
The company continues its efforts toward an energy transition by investing in grid upgrades along with cleaner power sources such as natural gas plants and renewables. These investments aim to maintain reliability while meeting evolving customer needs.
For further information about Duke Energy or recent updates from its leadership team visit the Duke Energy News Center.
