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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
August 22, 2024
DUKE
ENERGY CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its
Charter)
Delaware |
|
001-32853 |
|
20-2777218 |
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation) |
|
(Commission File Number) |
|
(IRS Employer
Identification No.) |
525 South Tryon Street, Charlotte,
North Carolina 28202-1803
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)
(800) 488-3853
(Registrant’s telephone number, including
area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K
filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ¨ | Written communications
pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to
Section 12(b) of the Act:
Registrant |
|
Title
of each class: |
|
Trading
Symbol(s): |
|
Name
of each exchange on
which registered: |
Duke Energy Corporation |
|
Common Stock, $0.001 par
value |
|
DUK |
|
New York Stock Exchange LLC |
Duke Energy Corporation |
|
5.625% Junior Subordinated
Debentures due September 15, 2078 |
|
DUKB |
|
New York Stock Exchange LLC |
Duke Energy Corporation |
|
Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 5.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share |
|
DUK PR A |
|
New York Stock Exchange LLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Duke Energy Corporation |
|
3.10% Senior Notes due 2028 |
|
DUK 28A |
|
New York Stock Exchange LLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Duke Energy Corporation |
|
3.85% Senior Notes due 2034 |
|
DUK34 |
|
New York Stock Exchange LLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Duke Energy Corporation |
|
3.75% Senior Notes due 2031 |
|
DUK 31A |
|
New York Stock Exchange LLC |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth
company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
| ¨ | If an emerging growth company,
indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised
financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. |
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On August 22, 2024, Duke
Energy Corporation (the “Company”) consummated the issuance and sale of the securities described below pursuant to an underwriting
agreement, dated August 19, 2024 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), with BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs &
Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Santander US Capital Markets LLC and
Truist Securities, Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”), pursuant
to which the Company agreed to issue and sell to the Underwriters $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.45%
Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2054 (the “Securities”). The Securities were sold to the
Underwriters at a discount to their principal amount. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Securities
to redeem on September 16, 2024 the outstanding 1,000,000 shares of its 4.875% Series B Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable
Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) and for general corporate purposes. On August 16, 2024,
the Company issued a Notice of Redemption with respect to the redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock on September 16, 2024.
This report shall not constitute a notice of redemption with respect to or an offer to tender for or purchase or sell (or the solicitation
of an offer to tender for or purchase or sell) any securities. The Securities were issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of June 3,
2008 (the “Indenture”), by and between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”),
as amended and supplemented by various supplemental indentures thereto, including the Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of
August 22, 2024 (the “Supplemental Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee. The disclosure in this Item
8.01 is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of the Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture, together with the form of global debentures
evidencing the Securities included therein, which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto, and the Underwriting Agreement, which is filed
as Exhibit 99.1 hereto. Such exhibits are incorporated herein by reference. Also, in connection with the issuance and
sale of the Securities, the Company is filing a legal opinion regarding the validity of the Securities as Exhibit 5.1 to this Form 8-K
and a legal opinion regarding certain tax matters as Exhibit 8.1 to this Form 8-K for the purpose of incorporating such opinions
into the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3, No. 333-267583.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
4.1 |
Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 22, 2024, to the Indenture, dated as of June 3, 2008, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, and form of global debenture included therein |
|
|
5.1 |
Opinion of Lindsay B. Schall regarding validity of the Securities |
|
|
8.1 |
Opinion of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP regarding certain tax matters |
|
|
23.1 |
Consent of Lindsay B. Schall (included as part of Exhibit 5.1) |
|
|
23.2 |
Consent of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (included as part of Exhibit 8.1) |
|
|
99.1 |
Underwriting Agreement, dated August 19, 2024, among the Company and BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Santander US Capital Markets LLC and Truist Securities, Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein |
|
|
104 |
Cover Page Interactive Data file (the Cover Page Interactive Data file is embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
duly authorized.
|
DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION |
Date: August 22, 2024 |
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ David S. Maltz |
|
|
Name: |
David S. Maltz |
|
|
Title: |
Vice President, Legal, Chief Governance Officer and Assistant Corporate Secretary |
Exhibit 4.1
DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION
TO
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Trustee
Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture
Dated as of August 22, 2024
$1,000,000,000 6.45% FIXED-TO-FIXED RESET RATE
JUNIOR SUBORDINATED
DEBENTURES DUE 2054
TABLE
OF CONTENTS1
ARTICLE I
6.45% FIXED-TO-FIXED RESET RATE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED
DEBENTURES DUE 2054
Section 1.01. |
Establishment |
1 |
Section 1.02. |
Definitions |
2 |
Section 1.03. |
Payment of Principal and Interest |
5 |
Section 1.04. |
Deferral of Interest Payments |
6 |
Section 1.05. |
Denominations |
7 |
Section 1.06. |
Global Securities |
7 |
Section 1.07. |
Optional Redemption |
7 |
Section 1.08. |
Payments of Interest |
9 |
Section 1.09. |
Subordination |
9 |
Section 1.10. |
Paying Agent and Security Registrar |
9 |
Section 1.11. |
Calculation Agent |
9 |
|
|
|
ARTICLE II |
|
COVENANT; EVENTS OF DEFAULT; AMENDMENTS |
|
Section 2.01. |
Dividend and Other Payment Stoppages |
10 |
Section 2.02. |
Events of Default |
11 |
Section 2.03. |
Conforming Amendments |
12 |
|
|
|
ARTICLE III |
|
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
|
Section 3.01. |
Recitals by the Corporation |
12 |
Section 3.02. |
Ratification and Incorporation of Original Indenture |
12 |
Section 3.03. |
Tax Treatment |
12 |
Section 3.04. |
Instructions to Trustee |
13 |
Section 3.05. |
Executed in Counterparts; Electronic Signatures |
13 |
Exhibit A – Form of 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate
Junior Subordinated Debenture Due 2054
Exhibit B – Certificate of Authentication
1
This Table of Contents does not constitute part of the Indenture or have any bearing upon the interpretation of any of its
terms and provisions.
THIS
THIRTY-FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE is made as of the 22nd day of August, 2024, by and between DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION,
a Delaware corporation, having its principal office at 525 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-1803 (the “Corporation”),
and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (formerly known as The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.), a national banking
association, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS,
the Corporation has heretofore entered into an Indenture, dated as of June 3, 2008 (the “Original Indenture”), with The
Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee;
WHEREAS,
the Original Indenture is incorporated herein by this reference and the Original Indenture, as it may be amended and supplemented to the
date hereof, including by this Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture, is herein called the “Indenture”;
WHEREAS,
under the Indenture, a new series of Securities may at any time be established in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and
the terms of such series may be described by a supplemental indenture executed by the Corporation and the Trustee;
WHEREAS,
the Corporation hereby proposes to create under the Indenture an additional series of Securities;
WHEREAS,
additional Securities of other series hereafter established, except as may be limited in the Indenture as at the time supplemented and
modified, may be issued from time to time pursuant to the Indenture as at the time supplemented and modified; and
WHEREAS,
all conditions necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture and to make it a valid and
binding obligation of the Corporation have been done or performed.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements and obligations set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration,
the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
6.45%
FIXED-to-FIxed Reset Rate JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES DUE 2054
Section 1.01. Establishment.
There is hereby established a new series of Securities to be issued under the Indenture, to be designated as the Corporation’s 6.45%
Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2054 (the “Debentures”).
There are to be authenticated
and delivered initially $1,000,000,000 principal amount of the Debentures, and no further Debentures shall be authenticated and delivered
except as provided by Section 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1106 of the Original Indenture and the last paragraph of Section 301 thereof.
The Debentures shall be issued in fully registered form without coupons.
The Debentures shall be in
substantially the form set out in Exhibit A hereto, and the form of the Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication for the Debentures
shall be in substantially the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto.
Each Debenture shall be dated
the date of authentication thereof and shall bear interest from the date of original issuance thereof or from the most recent Interest
Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for.
Section 1.02. Definitions.
The following defined terms used in this Article I shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meanings specified below
for purposes of the Debentures. Capitalized terms used herein for which no definition is provided herein shall have the meanings
set forth in the Original Indenture.
“Additional Interest”
has the meaning set forth in Section 104.
“Business Day”
means a day other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday, (ii) a day on which banks in New York, New York are authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to remain closed or (iii) a day on which the Corporate Trust Office is closed for business.
“Calculation Agent”
means the Corporation, an Affiliate of the Corporation selected by the Corporation, or any other firm appointed by the Corporation, in
each case, in the Corporation’s sole discretion, acting as calculation agent in respect of the Debentures.
“Capital Stock”
means (i) with respect to any Person organized as a corporation, any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options,
participations or other equivalents of or interest in (however designated) corporate stock, and (ii) with respect to any Person that
is not organized as a corporation, the partnership, membership or other equity interests or participations in such Person.
“First Reset Date”
means September 1, 2034.
“Five-Year Treasury
Rate” means, as of any Reset Interest Determination Date, (i) an interest rate (expressed as a decimal) determined to be the
per annum rate equal to the arithmetic mean of the yields to maturity for U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity with
a maturity of five years from the next Interest Reset Date and trading in the public securities markets, for the five consecutive Business
Days immediately prior to the respective Reset Interest Determination Date as published (or, if fewer than five consecutive Business Days
are so published on the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date, for such number of Business Days published) in the most recent H.15,
or (ii) if there is no such published U.S. Treasury security with a maturity of five years from the next Interest Reset Date and
trading in the public securities markets, then the rate will be determined by interpolation between the arithmetic mean of the yields
to maturity for each of the two series of U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity trading in the public securities markets,
(A) one maturing as close as possible to, but earlier than, the Interest Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Interest
Determination Date, and (B) the other maturing as close as possible to, but later than, the Interest Reset Date following the next
succeeding Reset Interest Determination Date, in each case for the five consecutive Business Days immediately prior to the respective
Reset Interest Determination Date as published in the most recent H.15. If the Five-Year Treasury Rate cannot be determined pursuant to
the methods described in clause (i) or (ii) above, then the Five-Year Treasury Rate will be the same interest rate determined
for the prior Reset Interest Determination Date or, if the Five-Year Treasury Rate cannot be so determined as of the Reset Interest Determination
Date preceding the First Reset Date, then the interest rate applicable for the Interest Reset Period beginning on and including the First
Reset Date will be deemed to be 6.45% per annum, which is the same interest rate as in effect from and including the original issue date
to, but excluding, the First Reset Date.
“H.15” means the
statistical release designated as such, or any successor publication as determined by the Calculation Agent in its sole discretion, published
by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor thereto).
“Interest Payment Date” means March 1
and September 1 of each year, commencing on March 1, 2025.
“Interest Reset Date”
means the First Reset Date and each date falling on the five-year anniversary of the preceding Interest Reset Date.
“Interest Reset Period”
means the period from and including the First Reset Date to, but not including, the next following Interest Reset Date and thereafter
each period from and including each Interest Reset Date to, but not including, the next following Interest Reset Date.
“most recent H.15”
means the H.15 published closest in time but prior to the close of business on the second Business Day prior to the applicable Reset Interest
Determination Date.
“Optional Deferral Period”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.04.
“Original
Issue Date” means August 22, 2024.
“Rating Agency Event”
means, as of any date, a change, clarification or amendment in the methodology published by any nationally recognized statistical rating
organization within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any successor provision
thereto), that then publishes a rating for the Corporation (together with any successor thereto, a “rating agency”) in assigning
equity credit to securities such as the Debentures, (a) as such methodology was in effect on August 19, 2024, in the case of
any rating agency that published a rating for the Corporation as of August 19, 2024, or (b) as such methodology was in effect
on the date such rating agency first published a rating for the Corporation, in the case of any rating agency that first publishes a rating
for the Corporation after August 19, 2024 (in the case of either clause (a) or (b), the “current methodology”),
that results in (i) any shortening of the length of time for which a particular level of equity credit pertaining to the Debentures
by such rating agency would have been in effect had the current methodology not been changed or (ii) a lower equity credit (including
up to a lesser amount) being assigned by such rating agency to the Debentures as of the date of such change, clarification or amendment
than the equity credit that would have been assigned to the Debentures by such rating agency had the current methodology not been changed.
“Redemption Date,”
when used with respect to any Debenture to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Thirty-fourth
Supplemental Indenture.
“Regular Record Date”
means, with respect to each Interest Payment Date, the close of business (i) on the Business Day immediately preceding such Interest
Payment Date if any Debentures are issuable in the form of one or more Global Securities or (ii) on the 15th calendar day preceding
such Interest Payment Date if no Debentures are issuable in the form of one or more Global Securities (whether or not a Business Day).
“Rights Plan”
means a plan of the Corporation providing for the issuance by the Corporation to all Holders of its common stock of rights entitling the
Holders thereof to subscribe for or purchase shares of its common stock or any class or series of preferred stock, which rights (i) are
deemed to be transferred with such shares of common stock, (ii) are not exercisable and (iii) are also issued in respect of
future issuances of its common stock, in each case until the occurrence of a specified event or events.
“Reset Interest Determination
Date” means, in respect of any Interest Reset Period, the day falling two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest
Reset Period.
“Special Record Date”
means the Regular Record Date with respect to the Interest Payment Date at the end of (that is, on the day next succeeding the conclusion
of) an Optional Deferral Period.
“Stated
Maturity” means September 1, 2054.
“Subsidiary” means,
at any time, any Person the shares of stock or other ownership interests of which ordinarily have voting power to elect a majority of
the board of directors or other managers of such Person, are at the time owned or the management and policies of which are otherwise at
the time controlled, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries (including other Subsidiaries) or both, by another Person.
“Tax Event” means
receipt by the Corporation of an opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of:
| (a) | any amendment to, clarification of, or change, including any announced prospective change, in the laws
or treaties of the United States or any of its political subdivisions or taxing authorities, or any regulations under those laws or treaties; |
| (b) | an administrative action, which means any judicial decision or any official administrative pronouncement,
ruling, regulatory procedure, notice or announcement including any notice or announcement of intent to issue or adopt any administrative
pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation; |
| (c) | any amendment to, clarification of, or change in the official position or the interpretation of any administrative
action or judicial decision or any interpretation or pronouncement that provides for a position with respect to an administrative action
or judicial decision that differs from the previously generally accepted position, in each case by any legislative body, court, governmental
authority or regulatory body, regardless of the time or manner in which that amendment, clarification or change is introduced or made
known; or |
| (d) | a threatened challenge asserted in writing in connection with a tax audit of the Corporation or an audit
of any of the Subsidiaries of the Corporation, or a publicly-known threatened challenge asserted in writing against any other taxpayer
that has raised capital through the issuance of securities that are substantially similar to the Debentures, |
which amendment, clarification, or change is effective
or the administrative action is taken or judicial decision, interpretation or pronouncement is issued or threatened challenge is asserted
or becomes publicly known after August 19, 2024, there is more than an insubstantial risk that interest payable by the Corporation
on the Debentures is not deductible, or within 90 days would not be deductible, in whole or in part, by the Corporation for United States
federal income tax purposes.
Section 1.03. Payment
of Principal and Interest. The principal of the Debentures shall be due at the Stated Maturity (unless earlier redeemed). Except
as otherwise set forth in Section 1.04, the Debentures will bear interest (i) from and including the Original Issue Date to
but excluding the First Reset Date at the rate of 6.45% per annum and (ii) from and including the First Reset Date, during each Interest
Reset Period, at the rate equal to the Five-Year Treasury Rate as of the most recent Reset Interest Determination Date, plus a spread
of 2.588% to be reset on each Interest Reset Date. Subject to Section 1.04 hereof, interest shall be paid semi-annually in
arrears on each Interest Payment Date to the Person or Persons in whose name the Debentures are registered on the Regular Record Date
for such Interest Payment Date; provided that interest payable at the Stated Maturity or on a Redemption Date as provided herein
shall be paid to the Person to whom principal is payable. So long as an Optional Deferral Period is not occurring, any such interest
that is not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holders on such Regular Record Date and
may either be paid to the Person or Persons in whose name the Debentures are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date
for the payment of such defaulted interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of the Debentures not
less than ten (10) days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with
the requirements of any securities exchange, if any, on which the Debentures shall be listed, and upon such notice as may be required
by any such exchange, all as more fully provided in the Original Indenture.
Payments of interest on the
Debentures shall include interest accrued to but excluding the respective Interest Payment Dates. Interest payments for the Debentures
shall be computed and paid on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any date on which
interest is payable on the Debentures is not a Business Day, then payment of the interest payable on such date shall be made on the next
succeeding day that is a Business Day (and without any interest or payment in respect of any such delay) with the same force and effect
as if made on the date the payment was originally payable.
Payment of principal of, premium,
if any, and interest (including Additional Interest) on the Debentures shall be made in such coin or currency of the United States of
America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. Payments of principal of, premium, if
any, and interest (including Additional Interest) on Debentures represented by a Global Security shall be made by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to the Holder of such Global Security. If any of the Debentures are no longer represented by a Global Security, (i) payments
of principal, premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest) due at the Stated Maturity or earlier redemption of such Debentures
shall be made at the office of the Paying Agent upon surrender of such Debentures to the Paying Agent and (ii) payments of interest
shall be made, at the option of the Corporation, subject to such surrender where applicable, by (A) check mailed to the address of
the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or (B) wire transfer at such place and to such
account at a banking institution in the United States as may be designated in writing to the Trustee at least sixteen (16) days prior
to the date for payment by the Person entitled thereto.
Section 1.04. Deferral
of Interest Payments. So long as no Event of Default with respect to the Debentures has occurred and is continuing, the Corporation
shall have the right on one or more occasions, to defer payment of the current and accrued interest otherwise due on the Debentures by
extending the interest payment period for up to ten (10) consecutive years (each period, commencing on the date that the first such
interest payment would otherwise have been made, an “Optional Deferral Period”). A deferral of interest payments may not extend
beyond the Stated Maturity or end on a day other than an Interest Payment Date. Any deferred interest on the Debentures will accrue additional
interest at the rate then applicable to the Debentures from the applicable Interest Payment Date to the date of payment, compounded semi-annually
(such deferred interest and additional interest accrued thereon, “Additional Interest”), to the extent permitted under applicable
law. No interest shall be due and payable during an Optional Deferral Period until the end of an Optional Deferral Period, except upon
a redemption of the Debentures during such Optional Deferral Period or unless the principal of and interest on the Debentures shall have
been declared due and payable as the result of an Event of Default with respect to the Debentures (in which case all accrued and unpaid
interest, including, to the extent permitted by law, Additional Interest).
So long as no Event of Default
has occurred and is continuing, prior to the termination of any Optional Deferral Period, the Corporation may further defer the payment
of interest by extending such Optional Deferral Period; provided that such Optional Deferral Period together with all such previous and
further deferrals of interest payments shall not exceed ten (10) consecutive years at any one time or extend beyond the Stated Maturity.
Upon the termination of any Optional Deferral Period, which shall be an Interest Payment Date, the Corporation shall pay all interest
accrued and unpaid on the Debentures, including any Additional Interest, to the Person in whose name the Debentures are registered on
the Regular Record Date for such Interest Payment Date, provided that interest accrued and unpaid on the Debentures, including any Additional
Interest, payable at Stated Maturity or on any Redemption Date will be paid to the Person to whom principal is payable. Once the Corporation
pays all interest accrued and unpaid on the Debentures, including any Additional Interest, it shall be entitled again to defer interest
payments on the Debentures as described above.
The Corporation shall give
the Trustee written notice of its election of an Optional Deferral Period or any shortening or extension thereof at least ten (10) and
not more than sixty (60) Business Days before the earlier of (x) the next applicable Interest Payment Date, or (y) if the Debentures
are then listed on any securities exchange, the date the Corporation is required to give notice of such Interest Payment Date or the relevant
record date therefor to such securities exchange or other applicable self-regulatory organization.
If the Corporation shall fail
to pay interest on the Debentures on any Interest Payment Date, the Corporation shall be deemed to have elected to defer payment of such
interest for the interest payment period immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date, unless the Corporation shall pay such interest
in full within five Business Days after any such Interest Payment Date.
Section 1.05. Denominations.
The Debentures shall be issued in denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
Section 1.06. Global
Securities. The Debentures shall initially be issued in the form of one or more Global Securities
registered in the name of the Depositary (which initially shall be The Depository Trust Company) or its nominee. Except under the
limited circumstances described below, Debentures represented by such Global Security or Global Securities shall not be exchangeable for,
and shall not otherwise be issuable as, Debentures in definitive form. The Global Securities described in this Article I may
not be transferred except by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another
nominee of the Depositary or to a successor Depositary or its nominee.
A
Global Security representing the Debentures shall be exchangeable for Debentures registered in the names of persons other than the Depositary
or its nominee only if (i) the Depositary notifies the Corporation that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a Depositary for
such Global Security and no successor Depositary shall have been appointed by the Corporation within 90 days of receipt by the Corporation
of such notification, or if at any time the Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act at a time when
the Depositary is required to be so registered to act as such Depositary and no successor Depositary shall have been appointed by the
Corporation within 90 days after it becomes aware of such cessation, (ii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with
respect to the Debentures and beneficial owners of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures represented by Global Securities
advise the Depositary to cease acting as Depositary, or (iii) the Corporation in its sole discretion, and subject to the procedures
of the Depositary, determines that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant
to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Debentures registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct.
Section 1.07. Optional
Redemption. The Corporation may redeem some or all of the Debentures, at its option, in whole or in part (i) on any day in the
period commencing on the date falling 90 days prior to the Interest Reset Date and ending on and including the Interest Reset Date and
(ii) after the Interest Reset Date, on any interest payment date, at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount
of the Debentures being redeemed plus, (subject to the provisions set forth in Section 1.08 regarding the payment of installments
of interest on the Debentures that are due and payable on any Interest Payment Date falling on or prior to a Redemption Date), accrued
and unpaid interest (including any Additional Interest) on the principal amount of the Debentures to be redeemed to, but excluding, such
Redemption Date.
In
addition, the Debentures may be redeemable, in whole but not in part, at the option of the Corporation, by a notice of redemption
delivered by or on behalf of the Corporation pursuant to Section 1104 of the Original Indenture, following the occurrence and during
the continuance of a Tax Event, at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Debentures being redeemed
plus, (subject to the provisions set forth in Section 1.08 regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Debentures that
are due and payable on any Interest Payment Date falling on or prior to a Redemption Date), accrued and unpaid interest (including any
Additional Interest) on the principal amount of the Debentures being redeemed to, but excluding, such Redemption Date.
In
addition, the Debentures may be redeemable, in whole but not in part, at the option of the Corporation, by a notice of redemption
delivered by or on behalf of the Corporation pursuant to Section 1104 of the Original Indenture, following the occurrence and during
the continuance of a Rating Agency Event, at a redemption price in cash equal to 102% of the principal amount of such Debentures being
redeemed plus, (subject to the provisions set forth in Section 1.08 regarding the payment of installments of interest on the Debentures
that are due and payable on any Interest Payment Date falling on or prior to a Redemption Date), accrued and unpaid interest (including
any Additional Interest) on the principal amount of the Debentures being redeemed to, but excluding, such Redemption Date.
Notice of any redemption by
the Corporation will be mailed or electronically given (or, as long as the Debentures are represented by one or more Global Securities,
transmitted in accordance with the Depositary’s standard procedures therefor) at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before
any Redemption Date to each Holder of Debentures to be redeemed. Once notice of redemption is mailed, the Debentures called for redemption
will become due and payable on the Redemption Date at the applicable redemption price, plus, subject to the terms described in Section 1.08
of this Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture, accrued and unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any Additional
Interest) to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, and will be paid upon surrender thereof for redemption. If only part of a debenture
is redeemed, the Trustee will issue in the name of the registered holder of the note and deliver to such holder a new debenture in a principal
amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the principal of the note surrendered for redemption. If the Corporation elects to redeem all
or a portion of the Debentures, the redemption will not be conditional upon receipt by the Paying Agent or the Trustee of monies sufficient
to pay the redemption price.
If less than all of the Debentures
are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Debentures or portions of Debentures to be redeemed by lot, or in the case the Debentures
are represented by one or more Global Securities, beneficial interests in such Debentures shall be selected for redemption by such other
customary method proscribed by the Depositary. The Trustee may select for redemption Debentures and portions of Debentures in amounts
of $2,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
The Debentures shall not have
a sinking fund.
Section 1.08. Payments
of Interest. Notwithstanding any statement in Article I to the contrary, installments of interest on the Debentures that are
due and payable on any interest payment date falling on or prior to a Redemption Date for the Debentures will be payable on that interest
payment date to the Holders thereof as of the close of business on the relevant record date according to the terms of the Debentures and
the Indenture, except that, if the Redemption Date for any Debentures falls on any day during an Optional Deferral Period, accrued and
unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any compound interest) on such Debentures will be paid on such
Redemption Date to the persons entitled to receive the redemption price of such Debentures. For the avoidance of doubt, the interest payment
date falling immediately after the last day of an Optional Deferral Period shall not be deemed to fall on a day during such Optional Deferral
Period.
Section 1.09. Subordination.
The Debentures are designated as Subordinated Securities under the Indenture and the provisions of Article Fifteen of the Original
Indenture shall apply to the Debentures, provided that, for the purposes of such Article Fifteen as it applies to the Debentures,
(a) the term “Senior Indebtedness” will not include (i) any indebtedness which by its terms ranks equally with the
Debentures in right of payment, including guarantees of such indebtedness, (ii) any indebtedness which by its terms is subordinated
to the Debentures in right of payment, which shall rank junior in right of payment to the Debentures, (iii) any indebtedness owed
by the Corporation to trade creditors incurred in connection with the purchase of goods, materials or services obtained in the ordinary
course of business, which shall rank equally in right of payment with the Debentures, (iv) indebtedness owed by the Corporation to
its Subsidiaries, which shall rank equally in right of payment with the Debentures or (v) indebtedness owed by the Corporation to
its employees, which shall rank equally in right of payment with the Debentures, and (b) the first sentence of the second paragraph
of Section 1502 of the Original Indenture shall not apply to the Debentures and the following shall apply to the Debentures as if
included in the Original Indenture in lieu thereof:
“Subject to the payment in full,
in money or money’s worth, of all Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Subordinated Securities (together with the holders of
any indebtedness of the Corporation which is subordinate in right of payment to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness and which
is not subordinate in right of payment to the Subordinated Securities) shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness
to receive payments or distribution of assets or securities of the Corporation applicable to Senior Indebtedness until the principal of
(and premium, if any) and interest on the Subordinated Securities shall be paid in full.”
Section 1.10. Paying
Agent and Security Registrar. The Trustee shall initially serve as Paying Agent and Security Registrar with respect to the Debentures,
with the Place of Payment initially being the Corporate Trust Office.
Section 1.11. Calculation
Agent. Unless the Corporation has redeemed all of the outstanding Debentures as of the First Reset Date, the Corporation shall appoint
the Calculation Agent prior to the Reset Interest Determination Date preceding the First Reset Date. The Corporation or any of its Affiliates
may assume the duties of the Calculation Agent. The applicable interest rate for each Interest Reset Period will be determined by the
Calculation Agent as of the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date. If the Corporation or one of its Affiliates is not the Calculation
Agent, the Calculation Agent shall notify the Corporation of the interest rate for the relevant Interest Reset Period promptly upon such
determination. The Corporation shall notify the Trustee of such interest rate, promptly upon making or being notified of such determination.
The Calculation Agent’s determination of any interest rate and its calculation of the amount of interest for any Interest Reset
Period beginning on or after the First Reset Date will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, will be made in the Calculation
Agent’s sole discretion and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Indenture, will become effective without consent from
any other person or entity. Such determination of any interest rate and calculation of the amount of interest shall be on file at the
Corporation’s principal office and shall be made available to any Holder upon request.
In no event shall the Trustee
be the Calculation Agent, nor shall it have any liability for any determination made by or on behalf of the Calculation Agent. In no event
shall the Trustee be responsible for determining any substitute or successor base rate, the business day convention or the definition
of “Business Day” and the Reset Interest Determination Date to be used and any other relevant methodology for calculating
such substitute or successor base rate. In connection with the foregoing, the Trustee will be entitled to conclusively rely on any determinations
made by the Calculation Agent and will have no liability for such actions taken at the direction of the Calculation Agent or the Corporation.
ARTICLE II
COVENANT;
EVENTS OF DEFAULT; AMENDMENTS
Section 2.01. Dividend
and Other Payment Stoppages. So long as any Debentures remain Outstanding, if the Corporation shall have given notice of its
election to defer interest payments on the Debentures but the related Optional Deferral Period has not yet commenced or an Optional Deferral
Period has commenced and is continuing, the Corporation shall not (subject to the exceptions set forth in the next succeeding paragraph):
| (a) | declare or pay any dividends or distributions on the Capital Stock of the Corporation: |
| (b) | redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to any Capital Stock of the Corporation; |
| (c) | pay any principal, interest (to the extent such interest is deferable) or premium on, or repay, repurchase
or redeem any debt securities of the Corporation that are equal or junior in right of payment with the Debentures; or |
| (d) | make any payments with respect to any guarantee by the Corporation of debt securities if such guarantee
is equal or junior in right of payment with the Debentures; |
provided
that, notwithstanding the foregoing, during an Optional Deferral Period, the Corporation may (i) declare and pay dividends or distributions
payable solely in shares of common stock of the Corporation (together, for the avoidance of doubt, with cash in lieu of any fractional
share) or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of common stock of the Corporation; (ii) declare and pay
any dividend in connection with the implementation of a Rights Plan, (iii) issue any of shares of Capital Stock of the Corporation
under any Rights Plan or redeem or repurchase any rights distributed pursuant to a Rights Plan, (iv) reclassify the Capital Stock
of the Corporation or exchange or convert one class or series of the Capital Stock of the Corporation for another class or series of the
Capital Stock of the Corporation, (v) purchase fractional interests in shares of the Capital Stock of the Corporation pursuant to
the conversion or exchange provisions of such Capital Stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (vi) purchase common stock
of the Corporation related to the issuance of such common stock or rights under any dividend reinvestment plan of the Corporation or any
benefit plan of the Corporation for the directors, officers, employees, consultants or advisors of the Corporation, and (vii) settle
conversion of any convertible notes or debentures that rank equally with the Debentures.
Section 2.02. Events
of Default. Solely for purposes of the Debentures, Section 501 of the Original Indenture shall be deleted and replaced
by the following:
“Event of Default,” wherever
used herein with respect to the Debentures, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether
it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any
order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):
(1) default
in the payment of any interest (including any compound interest) upon any Debenture when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of
such default for a period of 60 days, other than during an Optional Deferral Period; or
(2) default
in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Debenture when due; or
(3) the
entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Corporation in an involuntary
case or proceeding under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (B) a decree
or order adjudging the Corporation a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement,
adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Corporation under any applicable federal or state law, or appointing a custodian, receiver,
liquidator, assignee, Trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Corporation or of any substantial part of its property, or
ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree
or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or
(4) the
commencement by the Corporation of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization
or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of
a decree or order for relief in respect of the Corporation in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable federal or state
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding
against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable federal or state
law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator,
assignee, Trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Corporation or of any substantial part of its property, or the making
by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as
they become due, or the authorization of any such action by the Board of Directors.
The Trustee shall have no
right or obligation under the Indenture or otherwise to exercise any remedies on behalf of the Holders of the Debentures pursuant to the
Indenture in connection with any failure by the Corporation to comply with any covenant thereunder, which failure does not constitute,
or with the giving of notice or passage of time would not constitute, an Event of Default hereunder.
Section 2.03. Conforming
Amendments. In addition to those supplemental indentures permitted under Section 901 of the Original Indenture, without
the consent of any Holders, the Corporation, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, as requested in an Officers’
Certificate, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental to the Original Indenture, each in
a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, to modify and amend this Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture, and any instruments evidencing
the Debentures, if such modification or amendment only conforms the terms of this Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture or such instruments
to the terms thereof as contained in the prospectus supplement of the Corporation, and the accompanying prospectus, with respect to the
offering of the Debentures, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 20, 2024.
ARTICLE III
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 3.01. Recitals
by the Corporation. The recitals in this Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture are made by the Corporation only and not by the Trustee,
and all of the provisions contained in the Original Indenture in respect of the rights, privileges, immunities, powers and duties of the
Trustee shall be applicable in respect of the Debentures and this Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture as fully and with like effect as
if set forth herein in full.
Section 3.02. Ratification
and Incorporation of Original Indenture. As supplemented hereby, the Original Indenture is in all respects ratified and confirmed,
and the Original Indenture and this Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument.
Section 3.03. Tax
Treatment. The Corporation agrees, and by acceptance of a Debenture or a beneficial interest in a Debenture each Holder of a Debenture
and any Person acquiring a beneficial interest in a Debenture agrees, to treat the Debentures as indebtedness for United States federal,
state and local income tax purposes.
Section 3.04. Instructions
to Trustee. The Trustee shall have the right to accept and act upon instructions, including funds transfer instructions (“Instructions”)
given pursuant to this Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture and delivered using Electronic Means; provided, however, that the Corporation
shall provide to the Trustee an incumbency certificate listing officers with the authority to provide such Instructions (“Authorized
Officers”) and containing specimen signatures of such Authorized Officers, which incumbency certificate shall be amended by the
Corporation whenever a person is to be added or deleted from the listing. If the Corporation elects to give the Trustee Instructions using
Electronic Means and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such Instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such Instructions
shall be deemed controlling. The Corporation understands and agrees that the Trustee cannot determine the identity of the actual sender
of such Instructions and that the Trustee shall conclusively presume that directions that purport to have been sent by an Authorized Officer
listed on the incumbency certificate provided to the Trustee have been sent by such Authorized Officer. The Corporation shall be responsible
for ensuring that only Authorized Officers transmit such Instructions to the Corporate Trustee and that the Corporation and all Authorized
Officers are solely responsible to safeguard the use and confidentiality of applicable user and authorization codes, passwords and/or
authentication keys upon receipt by the Corporation. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly
or indirectly from the Trustee’s good faith reliance upon and compliance with such Instructions notwithstanding such directions
conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The Corporation agrees: (i) to assume all risks arising out of
the use of Electronic Means to submit Instructions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized
Instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties; (ii) that it is fully informed of the protections and risks
associated with the various methods of transmitting Instructions to the Trustee and that there may be more secure methods of transmitting
Instructions than the method(s) selected by the Corporation; (iii) that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection
with its transmission of Instructions provide to it a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and
circumstances; and (iv) to notify the Trustee as soon as reasonably practicable upon learning of any compromise or unauthorized use
of the security procedures. “Electronic Means” shall mean the following communications methods: e-mail, facsimile trans-mission,
secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys issued by the Trustee,
or another method or system specified by the Trustee as available for use in connection with its services hereunder.
Section 3.05. Executed
in Counterparts; Electronic Signatures. This Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, and such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The words “execution,”
signed,” signature,” and words of like import in the Indenture shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted
by facsimile, email or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf,” “tif” or “jpg”)
and other electronic signatures (including without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). The use of electronic signatures and electronic
records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by Electronic
Means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping
system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce
Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law
based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code. Without limitation to the foregoing, and anything in
the Original Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) any Officers’ Certificate, Company Order, Opinion of Counsel, Security,
certificate of authentication appearing on or attached to any Security, supplemental indenture or other certificate, opinion of counsel,
instrument, agreement or other document delivered pursuant to the Indenture may be executed, attested and transmitted by any of the foregoing
Electronic Means and formats, (b) all references in Section 303 or elsewhere in the Original Indenture to the execution, attestation
or authentication of any Security or any certificate of authentication appearing on or attached to any Security by means of a manual or
facsimile signature shall be deemed to include signatures that are made or transmitted by any of the foregoing Electronic Means or formats,
and (c) any requirement in Section 303 or elsewhere in the Original Indenture that any signature be made under a corporate seal
(or facsimile thereof) shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, each party hereto has caused this instrument to be signed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized officer,
all as of the day and year first above written.
|
Duke Energy Corporation |
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Chris R. Bauer |
|
Name: |
Chris R. Bauer |
|
Title: |
Assistant Treasurer |
|
|
|
The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee |
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Ann M. Dolezal |
|
Name: |
Ann M. Dolezal |
|
Title: |
Vice President |
[Signature Page to Thirty-fourth Supplemental
Indenture]
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
6.45% FIXED-TO-FIXED RESET RATE Junior
Subordinated Debenture DUE
2054
DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION
6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed
Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debenture DUE
2054
Principal Amount: $
Regular Record Date: [Close of business
on the business day immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date so long as all of the Securities (as defined herein) of this series
remain in book-entry only form] [Close of business on the 15th calendar day next preceding such Interest Payment Date (whether or not
a Business Day) if any of the Securities of this series do not remain in book-entry only form]
Original Issue Date: August 22, 2024
Stated Maturity: September 1, 2054
Interest Payment Dates: Semi-annually on
March 1 and September 1 of each year, commencing on March 1, 2025
Interest Rate: (i) From and including the
Original Issue Date to but excluding the First Reset Date at the rate of 6.45% per annum and (ii) from and including the First Reset
Date, during each Interest Reset Period, at the rate equal to the Five-Year Treasury Rate as of the most recent Reset Interest Determination
Date, plus a spread of 2.588% per annum to be reset on each Interest Reset Date.
Authorized
Denomination: $2,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000 in
excess thereof
Duke Energy Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”, which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to on
the reverse hereof), for value received, hereby promises to pay to ,
or registered assigns, the principal sum of
DOLLARS ($ )
on the Stated Maturity shown above and to pay interest thereon from the Original Issue Date shown above, or from the most recent Interest
Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, subject to the following paragraph, semi-annually in arrears on each
Interest Payment Date as specified above, commencing on August 22, 2024 and on the Stated Maturity at the rate per annum shown above
until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment and at such rate on any overdue principal and on any overdue installment
of interest (other than interest the payment of which is deferred pursuant to the following paragraph, which shall be payable at the rate
set forth in such paragraph). The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (other
than an Interest Payment Date that is the Stated Maturity or a Redemption Date) will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid to the Person
in whose name this 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debenture due 2054 (this “Security”) is registered
on the Regular Record Date as specified above next preceding such Interest Payment Date; provided that any interest payable at
Stated Maturity or on a Redemption Date will be paid to the Person to whom principal is payable. Except as otherwise provided in
the Indenture, any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for (other than interest the payment of which is deferred pursuant
to the following paragraph) will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the
Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date (as defined below) for the payment
of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less
than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements
of any securities exchange, if any, on which the Securities of this series shall be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by
any such exchange, all as more fully provided in the Indenture.
“Calculation Agent”
means the Corporation, an Affiliate of the Corporation selected by the Corporation, or any other firm appointed by the Corporation, in
each case, in the Corporation’s sole discretion, acting as calculation agent in respect of the Securities.
“First Reset Date”
means September 1, 2034.
“Five-Year Treasury
Rate” means, as of any Reset Interest Determination Date, (i) an interest rate (expressed as a decimal) determined to be the
per annum rate equal to the arithmetic mean of the yields to maturity for U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity with
a maturity of five years from the next Interest Reset Date and trading in the public securities markets, for the five consecutive Business
Days immediately prior to the respective Reset Interest Determination Date as published (or, if fewer than five consecutive Business Days
are so published on the applicable Reset Interest Determination Date, for such number of Business Days published) in the most recent H.15,
or (ii) if there is no such published U.S. Treasury security with a maturity of five years from the next Interest Reset Date and
trading in the public securities markets, then the rate will be determined by interpolation between the arithmetic mean of the yields
to maturity for each of the two series of U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity trading in the public securities markets,
(A) one maturing as close as possible to, but earlier than, the Interest Reset Date following the next succeeding Reset Interest
Determination Date, and (B) the other maturing as close as possible to, but later than, the Interest Reset Date following the next
succeeding Reset Interest Determination Date, in each case for the five consecutive Business Days immediately prior to the respective
Reset Interest Determination Date as published in the most recent H.15. If the Five-Year Treasury Rate cannot be determined pursuant to
the methods described in clause (i) or (ii) above, then the Five-Year Treasury Rate will be the same interest rate determined
for the prior Reset Interest Determination Date or, if the Five-Year Treasury Rate cannot be so determined as of the Reset Interest Determination
Date preceding the First Reset Date, then the interest rate applicable for the Interest Reset Period beginning on and including the First
Reset Date will be deemed to be 6.45% per annum, which is the same interest rate as in effect from and including the original issue date
to, but excluding, the First Reset Date.
“H.15” means the
statistical release designated as such, or any successor publication as determined by the Calculation Agent in its sole discretion, published
by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor thereto).
“Interest Reset Date”
means the First Reset Date and each date falling on the five-year anniversary of the preceding Interest Reset Date.
“Interest Reset Period”
means the period from and including the First Reset Date to, but not including, the next following Interest Reset Date and thereafter
each period from and including each Interest Reset Date to, but not including, the next following Interest Reset Date.
“most recent H.15”
means the H.15 published closest in time but prior to the close of business on the second Business Day prior to the applicable Reset Interest
Determination Date.
“Reset Interest Determination
Date” means, in respect of any Interest Reset Period, the day falling two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest
Reset Period.
So long as no Event of Default
with respect to the Securities of this series has occurred and is continuing, the Corporation shall have the right on one or more occasions,
to defer payment of the current and accrued interest otherwise due on this Security by extending the interest payment period for up to
10 consecutive years (each period, commencing on the date that the first such interest payment would otherwise have been made, an “Optional
Deferral Period”). A deferral of interest payments may not extend beyond the Stated Maturity or end on a day other than an Interest
Payment Date. As provided in the Indenture, Additional Interest on this Security will accrue to the extent permitted by law. No interest
shall be due and payable during an Optional Deferral Period, except at the end of such Optional Deferral Period or upon a redemption of
this Security during such Optional Deferral Period or unless the principal of and interest on the Securities of this series shall have
been declared due and payable as the result of an event of default with respect to the Securities of this series (in which case all accrued
and unpaid interest, including, to the extent permitted by law, Additional Interest).
So long as no Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing, prior to the termination of any Optional Deferral Period, the Corporation may further defer the
payment of interest by extending such Optional Deferral Period; provided that such Optional Deferral Period together with all such
previous and further deferrals of interest payments shall not exceed 10 consecutive years at any one time or extend beyond the Stated
Maturity. Upon the termination of any Optional Deferral Period, which shall be an Interest Payment Date, the Corporation shall pay all
interest accrued and unpaid on this Security, including any Additional Interest, to the Person in whose name this Security is registered
on the Regular Record Date for such Interest Payment Date, provided that interest accrued and unpaid on this Security, including any Additional
Interest, payable at Stated Maturity or on any Redemption Date will be paid to the Person to whom principal is payable. Once the Corporation
pays all interest accrued and unpaid on this Security, including any Additional Interest, it shall be entitled again to defer interest
payments on this Security as described above.
The Corporation shall give
the Trustee written notice of its election of an Optional Deferral Period or any shortening or extension thereof at least ten (10) and
not more than sixty (60) Business Days before the earlier of (x) the next applicable Interest Payment Date, or (y) if the Debentures
are then listed on any securities exchange, the date the Corporation is required to give notice of such Interest Payment Date or the relevant
record date therefor to such securities exchange or other applicable self-regulatory organization.
If
the Corporation shall fail to pay interest on this Security on any Interest Payment Date, the Corporation shall be deemed to have elected
to defer payment of such interest for the interest payment period immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date, unless the
Corporation shall pay such interest in full within five Business Days after any such Interest Payment Date.
Payments of interest (including
Additional Interest) on this Security will include interest accrued to but excluding the respective Interest Payment Dates. Interest
payments for this Security shall be computed and paid on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and will accrue
from August 22, 2024 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for. In
the event that any date on which interest is payable on this Security is not a Business Day, then payment of the interest payable on such
date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and without any interest or payment in respect of any such delay)
with the same force and effect as if made on the date the payment was originally payable. “Business Day” means a day
other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday, (ii) a day on which banks in New York, New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive
order to remain closed or (iii) a day on which the Corporate Trust Office is closed for business.
Payment of principal of, premium,
if any, and interest (including Additional Interest) on the Securities of this series shall be made in such coin or currency of the United
States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. Payments of principal of, premium,
if any, and interest (including Additional Interest) on the Securities of this series represented by a Global Security shall be made by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to the Holder of such Global Security. If any of the Securities of this series are
no longer represented by a Global Security, (i) payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest)
due at the Stated Maturity or earlier redemption of such Securities shall be made at the office of the Paying Agent upon surrender of
such Securities to the Paying Agent, and (ii) payments of interest shall be made, at the option of the Corporation, subject to such
surrender where applicable, by (A) check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the
Security Register or (B) wire transfer at such place and to such account at a banking institution in the United States as may be
designated in writing to the Trustee at least 16 days prior to the date for payment by the Person entitled thereto.
The Corporation may redeem
some or all of the Securities of this series, at its option, in whole or in part (i) on any day in the period commencing on the date
falling 90 days prior to the Interest Reset Date and ending on and including the Interest Reset Date and (ii) after the Interest
Reset Date, on any interest payment date, at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities of this
series being redeemed plus, (subject to the terms described below), accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional Interest) on
the principal amount of the Debentures to be redeemed to, but excluding, such Redemption Date.
In
addition, the Securities of this series may be redeemable, in whole but not in part, at the option of the Corporation, by a notice
of redemption delivered by or on behalf of the Corporation pursuant to Section 1104 of the Original Indenture, following the occurrence
and during the continuance of a Tax Event (as defined below), at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of such
Securities of this series being redeemed plus, (subject to the terms described below), accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional
Interest) on the principal amount of the Securities of this series being redeemed to, but excluding, such Redemption Date.
“Tax Event” means
receipt by the Corporation of an opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of:
| (a) | any amendment to, clarification of, or change, including any announced prospective change, in the laws
or treaties of the United States or any of its political subdivisions or taxing authorities, or any regulations under those laws or treaties; |
| (b) | an administrative action, which means any judicial decision or any official administrative pronouncement,
ruling, regulatory procedure, notice or announcement including any notice or announcement of intent to issue or adopt any administrative
pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation; |
| (c) | any amendment to, clarification of, or change in the official position or the interpretation of any administrative
action or judicial decision or any interpretation or pronouncement that provides for a position with respect to an administrative action
or judicial decision that differs from the previously generally accepted position, in each case by any legislative body, court, governmental
authority or regulatory body, regardless of the time or manner in which that amendment, clarification or change is introduced or made
known; or |
| (d) | a threatened challenge asserted in writing in connection with an audit of the Corporation or an audit
of any of the Subsidiaries of the Corporation, or a publicly-known threatened challenge asserted in writing against any other taxpayer
that has raised capital through the issuance of securities that are substantially similar to the Securities of this series, |
which amendment, clarification, or change is effective
or the administrative action is taken or judicial decision, interpretation or pronouncement is issued or threatened challenge is asserted
or becomes publicly known after August 19, 2024, there is more than an insubstantial risk that interest payable by the Corporation
on the Securities of this series is not deductible, or within 90 days would not be deductible, in whole or in part, by the Corporation
for United States federal income tax purposes.
In
addition, the Securities of this series may be redeemable, in whole but not in part, at the option of the Corporation, by a notice
of redemption delivered by or on behalf of the Corporation pursuant to Section 1104 of the Original Indenture, following the occurrence
and during the continuance of a Rating Agency Event (as defined below), at a redemption price equal to 102% of the principal amount of
such Securities of this series being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law,
any Additional Interest) to, but excluding, such Redemption Date. “Rating Agency Event” means, as of any date, a change, clarification
or amendment in the methodology published by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any successor provision thereto), that then publishes a rating for the Corporation
(together with any successor thereto, a “rating agency”) in assigning equity credit to securities such as the Securities of
this series, (a) as such methodology was in effect on the date of this prospectus supplement, in the case of any rating agency that
published a rating for the Corporation as of the date of this prospectus supplement, or (b) as such methodology was in effect on
the date such rating agency first published a rating for the Corporation, in the case of any rating agency that first publishes a rating
for the Corporation after the date of this prospectus supplement (in the case of either clause (a) or (b), the “current methodology”),
that results in (i) any shortening of the length of time for which a particular level of equity credit pertaining to Securities of
this series by such rating agency would have been in effect had the current methodology not been changed or (ii) a lower equity credit
(including up to a lesser amount) being assigned by such rating agency to Securities of this series as of the date of such change, clarification
or amendment than the equity credit that would have been assigned to Securities of this series by such rating agency had the current methodology
not been changed.
Notwithstanding any statement
to the contrary, installments of interest on the Securities of this series that are due and payable on any interest payment date falling
on or prior to a Redemption Date for the Securities of this series will be payable on that interest payment date to the registered Holders
thereof as of the close of business on the relevant record date according to the terms of the Securities of this series and the indenture,
except that, if the Redemption Date for any Securities of this series falls on any day during an Optional Deferral Period, accrued and
unpaid interest (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any Additional Interest) on such Securities of this series will
be paid on such Redemption Date to the persons entitled to receive the redemption price of such Securities of this series . For the avoidance
of doubt, the interest payment date falling immediately after the last day of an Optional Deferral Period shall not be deemed to fall
on a day during such Optional Deferral Period.
Notice of any redemption will
be mailed or electronically delivered (or otherwise transmitted in accordance with the depositary’s procedures) at least 10 days
but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each holder of Securities of this series to be redeemed. Once notice of redemption
is mailed, the Securities of this series called for redemption will become due and payable on the Redemption Date at the applicable redemption
price, plus, subject to the terms described in the immediately preceding paragraph, accrued and unpaid interest (including, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, any Additional Interest) to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, and will be paid upon surrender thereof
for redemption. If only part of a Debenture is redeemed, the Trustee will issue in the name of the registered holder of the Debenture
and deliver to such holder a new Debenture in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Debenture surrendered
for redemption. If the Corporation elects to redeem all or a portion of the Securities of this series , then the redemption will not be
conditional upon receipt by the Paying Agent or the Trustee of monies sufficient to pay the redemption price.
Unless the Corporation defaults
in payment of the redemption price, on and after the Redemption Date interest will cease to accrue on the Securities of this series or
portions thereof called for redemption.
The Corporation’s actions
and determinations in determining the redemption price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
The Trustee shall have no
duty to determine, or verify the calculation of, the redemption price.
If the Corporation redeems
less than all of the Securities of this series on any Redemption Date, the Trustee will select the Securities of this series to be redeemed
by lot or, in the case of Securities of this series in book-entry form represented by one or more Global Securities of this series, by
such other customary method proscribed by the depositary.
In the event of redemption
of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be
issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the surrender hereof.
The Securities of this series
shall not have a sinking fund.
The Securities of this series
shall constitute Subordinated Securities under the Indenture and shall be subject to the subordination provisions set forth in the Indenture.
REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE TO
THE FURTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS SECURITY SET FORTH ON THE REVERSE HEREOF, WHICH FURTHER PROVISIONS SHALL FOR ALL PURPOSES HAVE THE SAME
EFFECT AS IF SET FORTH AT THIS PLACE.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for
any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation
has caused this instrument to be duly executed as of August 22, 2024.
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Duke Energy Corporation |
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By: |
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Name: |
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Title: |
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CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Securities of the series designated
therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated: August 22, 2024 |
The Bank of New
York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee |
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By: |
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Authorized Signatory |
(Reverse Side of Security)
This 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed
Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debenture due 2054 is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Corporation (the “Securities”),
issued and issuable in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of June 3, 2008 (the “Original Indenture”), as
supplemented including by the Thirty-fourth supplemental dated August 22, 2024 (the “Supplemental Indenture”) (as supplemented,
the “Indenture”), between the Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (formerly known as The Bank
of New York Trust Company, N.A.), as Trustee (the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture),
to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitation
of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Corporation, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities issued thereunder and of
the terms upon which said Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated
on the face hereof as 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2054 initially in the aggregate principal amount
of $1,000,000,000. Capitalized terms used herein for which no definition is provided herein shall have the meanings set forth in
the Indenture.
If an Event of Default with
respect to the Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared
due and payable in the manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with
certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Corporation and
the rights of the Holders of the Securities of all series affected under the Indenture at any time by the Corporation and the Trustee
with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series affected thereby
(voting as one class). The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount
of the Outstanding Securities of all series with respect to which a default under the Indenture shall have occurred and be continuing
(voting as one class), on behalf of the Holders of the Securities of all such series, to waive, with certain exceptions, such default
under the Indenture and its consequences. The Indenture also permits the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the
Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the
Corporation with certain provisions of the Indenture affecting such series. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security
shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration
of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
No reference herein to the
Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Corporation, which is absolute
and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein
prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture
and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender
of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Corporation for such purpose, duly endorsed by, or accompanied
by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Corporation and the Security Registrar and duly executed by, the Holder
hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series, of authorized denominations
and of like tenor and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees. No service
charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Corporation may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
The Indenture contains provisions
for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of the Securities of this series and for covenant defeasance at any time of certain
covenants in the Indenture upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.
Prior to due presentment of
this Security for registration of transfer, the Corporation, the Trustee and any agent of the Corporation or the Trustee may treat the
Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither
the Corporation, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
The Securities of this series
are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to the limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate
principal amount of Securities of this series of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same
upon surrender of the Security or Securities to be exchanged at the office or agency of the Corporation.
This Security shall be governed
by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations, when used in the
inscription on the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or
regulations:
TEN COM — as tenants in common |
UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - ______Custodian ______ |
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(Cust) (Minor) |
TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties |
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JT TEN — as joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common |
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under Uniform Gifts to
Minors Act |
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(State) |
Additional abbreviations may also be used though
not on the above list.
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s) and
transfer(s) unto (please insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee)
PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING
POSTAL ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE
the within Security and all rights thereunder,
hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing
agent to transfer said Security on the books of the Corporation, with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated: |
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NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular without alteration or enlargement, or any change whatever. |
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE
Signatures must be guaranteed
by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Security Registrar, which requirements include membership
or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program”
as may be determined by the Security Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
EXHIBIT B
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Securities of the series designated
therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated: August 22, 2024 |
The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company,
N.A., as Trustee |
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By: |
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Authorized Signatory |
Exhibit 5.1
DUKE
ENERGY BUSINESS SERVICES LLC
525 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-1803
August 22, 2024
Duke Energy Corporation
525 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-1803
| Re: | Duke Energy Corporation $1,000,000,000 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2054 |
To the Addressee:
I
am Deputy General Counsel of Duke Energy Business Services LLC, the service company subsidiary of Duke Energy Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), and in such capacity I have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the public offering
of $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures
due 2054 (the “Securities”). The Securities are being issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of June 3, 2008
(the “Original Indenture”), by and between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the
“Trustee”), as amended and supplemented by various supplemental indentures thereto, including the Thirty-fourth Supplemental
Indenture, dated as of August 22, 2024 (the “Supplemental Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee (the Original
Indenture, as amended and supplemented, being referred to as the “Indenture”). On August 19, 2024, the Company
entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs &
Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Santander US Capital Markets LLC and
Truist Securities, Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”), relating
to the sale by the Company to the Underwriters of the Securities.
This opinion letter is being
delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”).
I am a member of the bar of
the State of North Carolina and my opinions set forth herein are limited to Delaware corporate law and the laws of the State of New York
and the federal laws of the United States that, in my experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated above
and, to the extent that judicial or regulatory orders or decrees or consents, approvals, licenses, authorizations, validations, filings,
recordings or registrations with governmental authorities are relevant, to those required under such laws (all of the foregoing being
referred to as “Opined on Law”). I do not express any opinion with respect to the law of any jurisdiction other than
Opined on Law or as to the effect of any such non-opined law on the opinions herein stated. This opinion letter is limited to the
laws, including the rules and regulations, as in effect on the date hereof, which laws are subject to change with possible retroactive
effect.
In rendering the opinions
set forth herein, I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have examined and are familiar with originals
or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of:
(a) the
registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-267583) of the Company relating to the Securities and other securities of the
Company filed on September 23, 2022 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities
Act, allowing for delayed offerings pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act and the information deemed to be a part of such
registration statement as of the date hereof pursuant to Rule 430B of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities
Act (the “Rules and Regulations”) (such registration statement, effective upon filing with the Commission on September 23,
2022 pursuant to Rule 462(e) of the Rules and Regulations, being hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”);
(b) the
prospectus, dated September 23, 2022 (the “Base Prospectus”) relating to the offering of securities of the Company, which
forms a part of and is included in the Registration Statement in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of
the Rules and Regulations;
(c) the
preliminary prospectus supplement, dated August 19, 2024, and the Base Prospectus, relating to the offering of the Securities in
the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;
(d) the
prospectus supplement, dated August 19, 2024, and the Base Prospectus, relating to the offering of the Securities in the form filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;
(e) the
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, effective as of May 19, 2014 and as amended on September 11,
2019, as certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;
(f) the
Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company, effective as of May 9, 2024;
(g) an
executed copy of the Original Indenture;
(h) an
executed copy of the Supplemental Indenture;
(i) an
executed copy of the Underwriting Agreement;
(j) the
certificates representing the Securities;
(k) the
issuer free writing prospectus issued at or prior to 2:25 p.m. (Eastern time) on August 19, 2024, which the Company was
advised is the time of the first contract of sale of the Securities, substantially in the form attached as Schedule C to the Underwriting
Agreement and as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act and Section 5(e) of the Underwriting
Agreement;
(l) the
Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, on Form T-1, of the Trustee;
(m) resolutions
of the Board of Directors of the Company, adopted on May 5, 2022, relating to the preparation and filing with the Commission of
the Registration Statement and the issuance of the Company’s securities; and
(n) the
written consent of the Assistant Treasurer of the Company, effective as of August 19, 2024.
I or attorneys under my supervision
(with whom I have consulted) have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records
of the Company and such agreements, certificates and receipts of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of
the Company and others, and such other documents as I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have deemed necessary
or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth below.
In my examination, I
or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness
of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents
submitted to me as facsimile, electronic, certified, conformed, or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such documents.
In making my examination of executed documents or documents to be executed, I have assumed that the parties thereto, other than the
Company had or will have the power, corporate or otherwise, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed
the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and the execution and delivery by such parties of such documents, and,
as to parties other than the Company, the validity and binding effect on such parties. As to any facts material to this opinion
letter that I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) did not independently establish or verify, we have relied
upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials.
The opinions set forth below
are subject to the following further qualifications, assumptions and limitations:
(i) the
validity or enforcement of any agreements or instruments may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability
is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and
(ii) I
do not express any opinion as to the applicability or effect of any fraudulent transfer, preference or similar law on any agreements or
instruments or any transactions contemplated thereby.
Based upon the foregoing and
subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, I am of the opinion that the Securities
have been duly authorized and executed by the Company, and that when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the
Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, the Securities will constitute
valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance
with their respective terms.
I hereby consent to the filing
of this opinion letter with the Commission as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement through incorporation by reference of a current
report on Form 8-K. I also hereby consent to the use of my name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus
which forms a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, I do not thereby admit that I am within the category
of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder. This opinion letter is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated, and I disclaim any undertaking
to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable laws.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ Lindsay B. Schall |
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Lindsay B. Schall, Esq. |
Exhibit 8.1
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Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
200 PARK AVENUE
New York, NY 10166-0005 |
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Tel 212 • 309 • 1000 |
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Fax 212 • 309 •
1100 |
August 22, 2024
Duke Energy Corporation
525 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-1803
Duke Energy Corporation
$1,000,000,000 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset
Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2054
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We
have acted as counsel to Duke Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the offering
and sale (the “Offering”) of $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated
Debentures due 2054 (the “Debentures”) of the Company pursuant to a preliminary prospectus supplement dated August 19,
2024, and a final prospectus supplement dated August 22, 2024 (together, the “Prospectus Supplement”) and a base prospectus
dated September 23, 2022 (the “Base Prospectus”). The Debentures are being issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated
as of June 3, 2008 (the “Original Indenture”), as amended and supplemented from time to time, including by the Thirty-fourth
Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 22, 2024, relating to the Debentures (the Original Indenture, as amended and supplemented,
the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee. You have requested
our opinion as to certain U.S. federal income tax matters. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned
to such terms in the Indenture.
In rendering the opinions expressed
below, we have made such legal and factual examinations and inquiries as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering
this opinion letter, including but not limited to the examination of the following: (i) the Base Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement,
(ii) the Indenture and (iii) such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion set
forth below.
As to any facts material to
the opinion expressed herein, we have relied upon certificates and statements and representations and warranties of the officers and
other representatives and agents of the parties to the documents and of public officials. In rendering this opinion letter, except for
the matters that are specifically addressed in the opinion expressed below, with your permission, we have assumed, and are relying on
without independent investigation, (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (ii) the conformity
to the originals of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies,
(iii) the genuineness of signatures, (iv) the legal capacity of natural persons signing the documents, (v) the necessary
entity formation and continuing existence in the jurisdiction of formation, and the necessary licensing and qualification in all jurisdictions,
of all parties to the documents, (vi) the necessary entity authorization, execution, delivery and enforceability (as limited by
bankruptcy and other insolvency laws) of all documents by all parties thereto, and the necessary entity power and authority with respect
thereto, (vii) the validity, binding effect, and enforceability of all documents, (viii) that each of the parties to the documents
will comply (without waiver) with all of the terms of such documents, and (ix) that there is not any other agreement that modifies
or supplements the agreements expressed in any document to which this opinion letter relates and that renders the opinion expressed below
inconsistent with such document as so modified or supplemented.
ATLANTA AUSTIN BANGKOK
BEIJING BOSTON BRUSSELS CHARLOTTE
DALLAS DUBAI HOUSTON LONDON
LOS ANGELES MIAMI
NEW YORK RICHMOND SAN FRANCISCO
TOKYO TYSONS WASHINGTON, DC
www.HuntonAK.com
In rendering this opinion letter,
except for matters that are specifically addressed in the opinion expressed below, we have made no inquiry, have conducted no investigation
and assume no responsibility with respect to (i) the accuracy of and compliance by the parties thereto with the representations,
warranties, covenants, certifications and assumptions as to factual matters contained in any document or (ii) the conformity of
the documents to the requirements of any agreement to which this opinion letter relates.
Based on the foregoing and
subject to the qualifications, representations, warranties, covenants, certifications and assumptions stated herein, we are of the opinion
that under current U.S. federal income tax law as of the date hereof, although there are no regulations, rulings or judicial precedents
addressing the characterization of securities having terms substantially similar to the Debentures for U.S. federal income tax purposes,
the Debentures will be classified for U.S. federal income tax purposes as indebtedness of the Company to the extent that they are not
beneficially owned by any person related to the Company including (i) any member of the Company’s “expanded group”
within the meaning of the regulations under section 385 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (hereinafter,
such regulations are the “Section 385 Regulations”), (ii) with respect to the Company’s expanded group, a
“controlled partnership” within the meaning of the Section 385 Regulations, or (iii) a disregarded entity owned
by any entity described in (i) or (ii) for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Other than in the context of
certain related party debt instruments addressed under the Section 385 Regulations, there are no Treasury regulations defining instruments
held by persons unrelated to the issuer as equity or indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Furthermore, there are no controlling
Treasury regulations, published rulings, or judicial decisions involving securities with terms substantially the same as the Debentures
that discuss whether, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the securities constitute equity or indebtedness. Therefore, our opinion
regarding the characterization of the Debentures as evidences of indebtedness is based upon rulings and judicial decisions under the
Code involving situations that we consider to be analogous and an analysis of all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the issuance
and sale of the Debentures.
The foregoing opinion is
based only on the federal income tax laws of the United States, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, and administrative and judicial
interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change. The foregoing opinion is limited to the matters addressed herein, and no
other opinion is rendered with respect to other United States federal tax matters or to any issues arising under the tax laws of any
other country, or any state or locality or governmental agency (other than the Internal Revenue Service) including without limitation
(i) any statute, regulation, or provision of law of any state, county, municipality, or other political subdivision or any agency
or instrumentality thereof or (ii) the securities or tax laws of any jurisdiction (other than the federal income tax laws of the
United States). Additional issues may exist that could affect the United States federal tax treatment of the transaction or matter that
is the subject of this opinion letter, and this opinion letter does not consider or provide a conclusion with respect to such additional
issues. You should be aware that this opinion letter represents conclusions as to the application of existing law, regulations, administrative
rules and practices, and legislative history to the transactions described above. There can be no assurance, however, that existing
law will not change or that contrary positions will not be taken by the Internal Revenue Service. Any such change might be retroactive
and might affect the opinion set forth above.
We express no opinion on
any other laws and intimate no view on any other matter that may be relevant to your interests. We also caution you that our opinion
depends upon the facts, representations, warranties, covenants, certifications, assumptions and documents to which this letter refers,
which are subject to change, reinterpretation and misunderstanding. Our conclusion could differ if these items on which we have relied
are, become or are found to be different.
This opinion letter is rendered
as of the date hereof and we undertake no obligation to update the opinion expressed herein after the date of this letter or advise you
of changes in the event there is any change in legal authorities, facts, representations, warranties, covenants, certifications and assumptions
or documents on which this opinion letter is based (including the taking of any action by any party to the documents pursuant to any
opinion of counsel or a waiver), or any inaccuracy in any of these items upon which we have relied in rendering this opinion letter,
unless we are specifically engaged to do so. Except as described in the next paragraph, this opinion letter may not be distributed, quoted
in whole or in part or otherwise reproduced in any document, or filed with any governmental agency without our express written consent.
We hereby consent to the
filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on the date of this opinion letter. We also consent
to the references to Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP under the captions “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Legal
Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent
is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP |
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Exhibit 99.1
Execution Version
DUKE ENERGY Corporation
$1,000,000,000 6.45% FIXED-TO-FIXED RESET RATE
JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES DUE 2054
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
August 19, 2024
BofA Securities, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Santander US Capital Markets LLC
Truist Securities, Inc.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
| c/o | Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1. Introductory.
DUKE ENERGY Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”),
proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed
Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2054 (the “Debentures”) to be issued pursuant to the provisions of an
Indenture, dated as of June 3, 2008, (the “Original Indenture”) as supplemented from time to time by supplemental
indentures, including the Thirty-fourth Supplemental Indenture, to be dated as of August 22, 2024 with respect to the Debentures
(the “Supplemental Indenture” and together with the Original Indenture, the “Indenture”), between
the Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (the “Trustee”). BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman
Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Santander US Capital
Markets LLC and Truist Securities, Inc. (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives of the several underwriters
named in Schedule A hereto (together with the Representatives, the “Underwriters”). The Corporation understands that
the several Underwriters propose to offer the Debentures for sale upon the terms and conditions contemplated by (i) this Agreement
and (ii) the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (each, as defined below) issued
at or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below) (the documents referred to in the foregoing subclause (ii) are referred to
herein as the “Pricing Disclosure Package”).
2. Representations
and Warranties of the Corporation. The Corporation represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:
| (a) | A registration statement (No. 333-267583), including a prospectus, relating to the Debentures and
certain other securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Such registration statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each
in the form heretofore delivered to you, became effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462 of the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”), and no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of such registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act has been
initiated or threatened by the Commission (if prepared, any preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Debentures
immediately prior to the Applicable Time included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of
the 1933 Act Regulations being hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”); the term “Registration Statement”
means the registration statement as deemed revised pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(1) of the 1933 Act Regulations on the date of such
registration statement’s effectiveness for purposes of Section 11 of the 1933 Act, as such section applies to the Corporation
and the Underwriters for the Debentures pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations (the “Effective Date”),
including all exhibits thereto and including the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement
at the time such part of the Registration Statement became effective; the term “Base Prospectus” means the prospectus
filed with the Commission on the date hereof by the Corporation; and the term “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus
together with the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Debentures prepared in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B
and promptly filed after execution and delivery of this Agreement pursuant to Rule 430B or Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act
Regulations; any information included in such Prospectus that was omitted from the Registration Statement at the time it became effective
but that is deemed to be a part of and included in such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B is referred to as “Rule 430B
Information;” and any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, prior to the date hereof; any reference to any amendment
or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date of
such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934
Act”), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to
any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Corporation filed pursuant
to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Applicable Time” means 2:25 p.m. (New
York City time) on the date hereof. |
| (b) | The Registration Statement, the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus specified on Schedule B hereto, the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus conform, and any amendments or supplements thereto will conform, in all material respects to
the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations; and (i) the Registration Statement, as of its original effective date
and at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations,
and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3), did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) (A) the
Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not, (B) the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of
their dates, will not, and (C) the Prospectus as of the Closing Date will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, except that the Corporation makes no warranty or representation to the Underwriters with respect to any statements or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Corporation by the Representatives on behalf
of the Underwriters specifically for use in the Registration Statement, the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus
or the Prospectus. |
| (c) | The Permitted Free Writing Prospectus specified on Schedule B hereto as of its issue date and at all subsequent
times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Debentures or until any earlier date that the Corporation notified or
notifies the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicts
with the information (not superseded or modified as of the Effective Date) contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus
or the Prospectus. |
| (d) | At the earliest time the Corporation or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the
meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Debentures, the Corporation was not an “ineligible issuer”
as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations. The Corporation is, and was at the time of the initial filing of the Registration
Statement, eligible to use Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. |
| (e) | The documents and interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“XBRL”)
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
at the time they were filed or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements
of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), and,
when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, (i) at the time the Registration Statement became effective, (ii) at
the Applicable Time and (iii) on the Closing Date did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. |
| (f) | The compliance by the Corporation with all of the provisions of this Agreement has been duly authorized
by all necessary corporate action and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach
or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement
or other agreement or instrument to which the Corporation or any of its Principal Subsidiaries (as hereinafter defined) is a party or
by which any of them or their respective property is bound or to which any of their properties or assets is subject that would have a
material adverse effect on the business, financial condition or results of operations of the Corporation and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the amended and restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), the amended and restated By-Laws of the Corporation (the “By-Laws”)
or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Corporation
or its Principal Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that would have a material adverse effect on the business, financial
condition or results of operations of the Corporation and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and no consent, approval, authorization,
order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the consummation by the
Corporation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the approval of the North Carolina Utilities Commission which
has been received as of the date of this Agreement, the registration under the 1933 Act of the Debentures, qualification under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “1939 Act”) and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications
as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Debentures by the Underwriters. |
| (g) | This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Corporation. |
| (h) | Each of Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company, Duke Energy Indiana, LLC,
an Indiana limited liability company, Progress Energy, Inc., a North Carolina corporation, Duke Energy Progress, LLC, a North Carolina
limited liability company, and Duke Energy Florida, LLC, a Florida limited liability company, is a “significant subsidiary”
of the Corporation within the meaning of Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the 1933 Act (herein collectively referred to, along with
Duke Energy Ohio, Inc., an Ohio corporation and Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc., a North Carolina corporation, as the “Principal
Subsidiaries”). |
| (i) | The Original Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Corporation and duly qualified
under the 1939 Act and the Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized and when executed and delivered by the Corporation and, assuming
the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, the Indenture will constitute a valid and legally binding instrument
of the Corporation enforceable against the Corporation in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited
by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally
and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and
an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. |
| (j) | The Debentures have been duly authorized and when executed by the Corporation and when authenticated by
the Trustee, in the manner provided in the Indenture and delivered against payment therefor, will constitute valid and legally binding
obligations of the Corporation, enforceable against the Corporation in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and are entitled to the benefits afforded by the Indenture in accordance
with the terms of the Indenture and the Debentures, except as set forth in paragraph (i) above. |
| (k) | Any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument filed or incorporated
by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Corporation for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2023 or any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Corporation or any Current Report on Form 8-K
of the Corporation with an execution or a filing date after December 31, 2023, except to the extent that such agreement is no longer
in effect or to the extent that neither the Corporation nor any subsidiary of the Corporation is currently a party to such agreement,
are all indentures, mortgages, deeds of trust, loan agreements or other agreements or instruments that are material to the Corporation. |
| (l) | The Corporation is not required to be qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business in Indiana,
North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Florida. |
| (m) | Any pro forma financial statements of the Corporation and its subsidiaries and the related notes thereto
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance
with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on
the bases described therein. |
3. Purchase,
Sale and Delivery of the Debentures. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject
to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Corporation agrees to sell to the Underwriters, and the Underwriters agree, severally
and not jointly, to purchase from the Corporation, at a purchase price of 98.750% of the principal amount of the Debenture plus accrued
interest, if any, from August 22, 2024, if settlement takes place after that date (and in the manner set forth below), the respective
principal amount of Debentures set forth opposite the names of the Underwriters in Schedule A hereto plus the respective principal amount
of additional Debentures which each such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 hereof.
The Underwriters hereby agree to make a payment to the Corporation in an amount equal to $2,500,000, including in respect of expenses
incurred by the Corporation in connection with the offering of the Debentures.
Payment of the purchase price
for the Debentures to be purchased by the Underwriters and the payment referred to above shall be made to the Corporation by wire transfer
of immediately available funds, payable to the order of the Corporation against delivery of the Debentures, in fully registered forms,
to you or upon your order at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on August 22, 2024 or such other time and date as shall be mutually
agreed upon in writing by the Corporation and the Representatives (the “Closing Date”). The Debentures shall be delivered
in the form of one or more global certificates in an aggregate denomination equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Debentures
upon original issuance and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).
All other documents referred to herein that are to be delivered at the Closing Date shall be delivered at that time at the offices of
Sidley Austin llp, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019.
4. Offering
by the Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Debentures for sale to the public as set
forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
5. Covenants
of the Corporation. The Corporation covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:
| (a) | The Corporation will cause the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus to be filed pursuant to, and
in compliance with, Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations, and advise the Underwriters promptly of the filing of any amendment
or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and of the institution by the Commission of
any stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration Statement, and will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such
stop order and to obtain as soon as possible its lifting, if issued. |
| (b) | If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Debentures (or the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of
the 1933 Act Regulations) is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act any event occurs as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact, or omit to state any material
fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it
is necessary at any time to amend the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus to comply with the 1933 Act, the Corporation promptly
will prepare and file with the Commission an amendment, a supplement or an appropriate document pursuant to Section 13 or 14 of the
1934 Act which will correct such statement or omission or which will effect such compliance. |
| (c) | The Corporation, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Debentures is required to be delivered
under the 1933 Act, will timely file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 14 of the 1934
Act. |
| (d) | Without the prior consent of the Underwriters, the Corporation has not made and will not make any offer
relating to the Debentures that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations,
other than the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus; each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees that, without the
prior consent of the Corporation, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Debentures that would constitute a “free
writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations, other than the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or
a free writing prospectus that is not required to be filed by the Corporation pursuant to Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”);
any such free writing prospectus (which shall include the pricing term sheet referred to in Section 5(e) below), the use of
which has been consented to by the Corporation and the Underwriters, is specified on Item 3 of Schedule B and herein is called the “Permitted
Free Writing Prospectus.” The Corporation represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat the Permitted Free Writing
Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the
requirements of Rule 433 applicable to the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required,
legending and record keeping. |
| (e) | The Corporation agrees to prepare a pricing term sheet specifying the terms of the Debentures not contained
in the Preliminary Prospectus, substantially in the form of Schedule C hereto and approved by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters,
and to file such pricing term sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 prior to the close of
business two business days after the date hereof. |
| (f) | The Corporation agrees that if at any time following the issuance of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus
any event occurs as a result of which such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information (not superseded or modified
as of the Effective Date) in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
then prevailing, not misleading, the Corporation will give prompt notice thereof to the Underwriters and, if requested by the Underwriters,
will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter a free writing prospectus or other document, the use of which has been consented
to by the Underwriters, which will correct such conflict, statement or omission. |
| (g) | The Corporation will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make
generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide the Underwriters
the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act. |
| (h) | The Corporation will furnish to you, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement (four of which
will include all exhibits other than those incorporated by reference), the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and all amendments
and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as you may reasonably request. |
| (i) | The Corporation will arrange or cooperate in arrangements, if necessary, for the qualification of the
Debentures for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as you designate and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required
for the distribution; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file any
general consents to service of process under the laws of any state where it is not now so subject. |
| (j) | The Corporation will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement
including (i) the printing and filing of the Registration Statement and the printing of this Agreement and any Blue Sky Survey, (ii) the
preparation and printing of certificates for the Debentures, (iii) the issuance and delivery of the Debentures as specified herein,
(iv) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the qualification of the Debentures under the
securities laws of any jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of Section 5(i) and in connection with the preparation
of the Blue Sky Survey, such fees not to exceed $7,500, (v) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters, in quantities as hereinabove
referred to, of copies of the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, of the Preliminary Prospectus, of the Prospectus, of
the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vi) any fees charged by independent rating agencies
for rating the Debentures, (vii) any fees and expenses in connection with the listing of the Debentures on the New York Stock Exchange
LLC, (viii) any filing fee required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., (ix) the costs of any depository
arrangements for the Debentures with DTC or any successor depositary and (x) the costs and expenses of the Corporation relating to
investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Debentures, including,
without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged
in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Corporation, travel and lodging expenses of the Underwriters
and officers of the Corporation and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; provided,
however, the Underwriters shall reimburse a portion of the costs and expenses referred to in this clause (x). |
| (k) | During the period beginning from the date of this Agreement and continuing to and including 15 days after
the date hereof, the Corporation will not sell, offer to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of any Debentures,
any security convertible into, exchangeable into or exercisable for the Debentures or any debt securities substantially similar to the
Debentures (except for the Debentures issued pursuant to this Agreement), without the prior written consent of the Representatives. This
agreement does not apply to issuances of (i) commercial paper or other debt securities with scheduled maturities of less than one
year or (ii) any senior indebtedness. |
6. Conditions
of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Debentures will be
subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Corporation herein, to the accuracy of the statements
of officers of the Corporation made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Corporation of its obligations hereunder
and to the following additional conditions precedent:
| (a) | The Prospectus shall have been filed by the Corporation with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within
the applicable time period prescribed for filing by the 1933 Act Regulations and in accordance herewith and the Permitted Free Writing
Prospectus shall have been filed by the Corporation with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings
by, and otherwise in compliance with, Rule 433. |
| (b) | At or after the Applicable Time and prior to the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act
shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Corporation or you, shall be threatened by the Commission. |
| (c) | At or after the Applicable Time and prior to the Closing Date, the rating assigned by Moody’s Investors
Service, Inc. or S&P Global Ratings (or any of their successors) to any debt securities or preferred stock of the Corporation
as of the date of this Agreement shall not have been lowered. |
| (d) | Since the respective most recent dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus and up to the Closing Date, there shall not have been any material adverse change in the condition of the Corporation,
financial or otherwise, except as reflected in or contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and, since such dates
and up to the Closing Date, there shall not have been any material transaction entered into by the Corporation other than transactions
contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and transactions in the ordinary course of business, the effect of which
in your reasonable judgment is so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering
or the delivery of the Debentures on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. |
| (e) | You shall have received an opinion of Lindsay B. Schall, Esq., Deputy General Counsel of Duke Energy
Business Services LLC, the service company subsidiary of the Corporation (who in such capacity provides legal services to the Corporation),
or other appropriate counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives (which may include the Corporation’s other “in-house”
counsel), dated the Closing Date, to the effect that: |
| (i) | Each of Duke Energy Ohio, Inc., Progress Energy, Inc. and Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.,
has been duly incorporated and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the
respective corporate power and authority and foreign qualifications necessary to own its properties and to conduct its business as described
in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Each of Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Duke Energy Florida, LLC, Duke Energy Indiana,
LLC and Duke Energy Progress, LLC has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing as a limited liability company
under the laws of the State of North Carolina, the State of Florida, the State of Indiana and the State of North Carolina, respectively,
and has full limited liability company power and authority necessary to own its properties and to conduct its business as described in
the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. |
| (ii) | Each of the Corporation and the Principal Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business in each jurisdiction
in which the ownership or leasing of its property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure
to so qualify, considering all such cases in the aggregate, does not have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial
condition or results of operations of the Corporation and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. |
| (iii) | The Registration Statement became effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462
of the 1933 Act Regulations, and, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened under the 1933 Act. |
| (iv) | The descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus of any
legal or governmental proceedings are accurate and fairly present the information required to be shown, and such counsel does not know
of any litigation or any legal or governmental proceeding instituted or threatened against the Corporation or any of its Principal Subsidiaries
or any of their respective properties that would be required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package
or the Prospectus and is not so disclosed. |
| (v) | This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Corporation. |
| (vi) | The execution, delivery and performance by the Corporation of this Agreement and the Indenture and the
issue and sale of the Debentures will not violate or contravene any of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of
the Corporation or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of which such counsel is aware of any court or governmental agency
or body having jurisdiction over the Corporation or any of its Principal Subsidiaries or any of their respective property, nor will such
action conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Corporation or any of its
Principal Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or their respective property is bound or to which any of its property or assets
is subject, which affects in a material way the Corporation’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture
and the Debentures. |
| (vii) | The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Corporation and, assuming the due
authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument of the Corporation, enforceable
against the Corporation in accordance with its terms. |
| (viii) | The Debentures have been duly authorized, executed and issued by the Corporation and, when authenticated
by the Trustee, in the manner provided in the Indenture and delivered against payment therefor, will constitute valid and legally binding
obligations of the Corporation enforceable against the Corporation in accordance with their terms, and are entitled to the benefits afforded
by the Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Debentures. |
| (ix) | No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification is required to authorize, or
for the Corporation to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution
of the Debentures by the Underwriters and except as required in Condition No. 7.6 of the order of the North Carolina Utilities Commission
dated September 29, 2016, in Docket Nos. E-7, Sub 1100, E-2, Sub 1095 and G-9, Sub 682, which condition has been complied with. |
Such counsel may state that
such counsel’s opinions in paragraphs (vii) and (viii) above are subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, and by general
principles of equity (whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith
and fair dealing. Such counsel shall state that nothing has come to such counsel’s attention that has caused such counsel to believe
that each document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when filed,
was not, on its face, appropriately responsive, in all material respects, to the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.
Such counsel shall also state that nothing has come to such counsel’s attention that has caused such counsel to believe that (i) the
Registration Statement, as of the effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act
Regulations, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Pricing Disclosure Package at the Applicable Time contained any untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading or (iii) that the Prospectus, as of its date or at the Closing Date, contained or contains
any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Such counsel may also state that, except as otherwise expressly
provided in such opinion, such counsel does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and does not
express any opinion or belief as to (i) the financial statements or other financial and accounting data contained or incorporated
by reference therein or excluded therefrom, including XBRL interactive data, (ii) the statement of the eligibility and qualification
of the Trustee included in the Registration Statement (the “Form T-1”) or (iii) the information in the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Book-Entry System.”
In rendering the foregoing
opinion, such counsel may state that such counsel does not express any opinion concerning any law other than the law of the State of North
Carolina or, to the extent set forth in the foregoing opinions, the federal securities laws and may rely as to all matters of the laws
of the States of South Carolina, Ohio, Indiana and Florida on appropriate counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives,
which may include the Corporation’s other “in-house” counsel). Such counsel may also state that such counsel has relied
as to certain factual matters on information obtained from public officials, officers of the Corporation and other sources believed by
such counsel to be reliable.
| (f) | You shall have received an opinion of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, counsel to the Corporation, dated the
Closing Date, to the effect that: |
| (i) | The Corporation has been duly incorporated and is a validly existing corporation in good standing under
the laws of the State of Delaware. |
| (ii) | The Corporation has the corporate power and corporate authority to execute and deliver this Agreement
and the Supplemental Indenture and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. |
| (iii) | This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Corporation. |
| (iv) | The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Corporation and, assuming the due
authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, is a valid and binding agreement of the Corporation, enforceable against
the Corporation in accordance with its terms. |
| (v) | The Debentures have been duly authorized and executed by the Corporation, and, when duly authenticated
by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Corporation against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and
the Indenture, the Debentures will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Corporation, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture
and enforceable against the Corporation in accordance with their terms. |
| (vi) | The statements set forth (i) under the caption “Description of Debt Securities” (other
than under the caption “Global Securities”) that are included in the Base Prospectus and (ii) under the caption “Description
of the Debentures” in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain
provisions of the Indenture and the Debentures, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects. |
| (vii) | The statements set forth under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” in the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to constitute summaries of matters of United States federal income tax
law, constitute accurate and complete summaries, in all material respects, subject to the qualifications set forth therein. |
| (viii) | No Governmental Approval, which has not been obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect, is
required to authorize, or is required for, the execution or delivery of this Agreement and the Indenture by the Corporation or the consummation
by the Corporation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations
or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Debentures
by the Underwriters. “Governmental Approval” means any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of,
or filing, qualification or registration with, any Governmental Authority required to be made or obtained by the Corporation pursuant
to Applicable Laws, other than any consent, approval, license, authorization, validation, filing, qualification or registration that may
have become applicable as a result of the involvement of any party (other than the Corporation) in the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or because of such parties’ legal or regulatory status or because of any other facts specifically pertaining to such parties
and “Governmental Authority” means any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or governmental body of the State
of North Carolina, the State of New York or the State of Delaware or the United States of America having jurisdiction over the Corporation
under Applicable Law but excluding the North Carolina Utilities Commission, the New York State Public Service Commission and the Delaware
Public Service Commission. |
| (ix) | The Corporation is not and, solely after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Debentures and
the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be subject to registration and regulation as an “investment
company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. |
| (x) | The execution and delivery by the Corporation of this Agreement and the Indenture and the consummation
by the Corporation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the issuance and sale of the Debentures, will not (i) conflict
with the Certificate of Incorporation or the By-Laws, (ii) constitute a breach of, or default under, the terms of any of the contracts
set forth on Schedule D hereto or (iii) violate any Applicable Law of the State of New York or the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware. Such counsel shall state that it does not express any opinion, however, as to whether the execution, delivery or performance
by the Corporation of this Agreement or the Indenture will constitute a violation of, or a default under, any covenant, restriction or
provision with respect to financial ratios or tests or any aspect of the financial condition or results or operations of the Corporation
or any of its subsidiaries. “Applicable Law” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and those laws,
rules and regulations of the States of New York and North Carolina and those federal laws, rules and regulations of the United
States of America, in each case that, in such counsel’s experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated
by this Agreement (other than the United States federal securities laws, state securities or Blue Sky laws, antifraud laws and the rules and
regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., the North Carolina Public Utilities Act, the rules and regulations
of the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the New York State Public Service Commission and the New York State Public Service Law),
but without such counsel having made any special investigation as to the applicability of any specific law, rule or regulation. |
| (xi) | The statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Underwriting
(Conflicts of Interest)” insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of this Agreement, fairly summarize
such provisions in all material respects. |
You shall also have received
a statement of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:
(i) no facts have come
to such counsel’s attention that have caused such counsel to believe that the documents filed by the Corporation under the 1934
Act and the 1934 Act Regulations that are incorporated by reference in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement that forms a part of the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when filed, were not, on their face, appropriately responsive in all material respects
to the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations (except that in each case such counsel need not express any view with
respect to the financial statements, schedules and other financial and accounting information included or incorporated by reference therein
or excluded therefrom including XBRL interactive data), (ii) no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused
such counsel to believe that each of the Registration Statement, at the Applicable Time, and the Prospectus, as of its date, appeared
on its face, not to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations
(except that in each case such counsel need not express any view with respect to the financial statements, schedules and other financial
and accounting information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, including XBRL interactive data, or that
part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the statement of eligibility on the Form T-1) and (iii) no facts have come
to such counsel’s attention that have caused such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, at the Applicable Time, contained
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus, as of its date and as of the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading (except that in each case such counsel need not express any view with respect to the financial
statements, schedules and other financial and accounting information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom,
or XBRL interactive data, or that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the statement of eligibility on the Form T-1).
Such counsel shall further state that, in addition, no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused such counsel
to believe that the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading (except that such counsel need not express any view with respect to the financial statements, schedules and other financial
and accounting information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, including XBRL interactive data).
In addition, such statement
shall confirm that the Prospectus has been filed with the Commission within the time period required by Rule 424 of the 1933 Act
Regulations and any required filing of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations has
been filed with the Commission within the time period required by Rule 433(d) of the 1933 Act Regulations. Such statement shall
further state that assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Corporation set forth in Section 2(d) of
this Agreement, the Registration Statement became effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462 of the 1933 Act
Regulations and, pursuant to Section 309 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “1939 Act”), the
Indenture has been qualified under the 1939 Act, and that based solely on such counsel’s review of the Commission’s website,
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and, to such counsel’s knowledge, no proceedings
for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the Commission.
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP may
state that its opinions in paragraphs (v) and (vi) are subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability
is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). In addition, such counsel may state that it has relied as to certain factual matters
on information obtained from public officials, officers and representatives of the Corporation and that the signatures on all documents
examined by them are genuine, assumptions which such counsel have not independently verified.
| (g) | You shall have received a letter from Sidley Austin llp,
counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such opinions and statements as you may reasonably request, and
the Corporation shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as it requests for the purpose of enabling it to pass upon such matters. |
| (h) | At or after the Applicable Time, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension
or material limitation in trading in securities generally or of the securities of the Corporation, on the New York Stock Exchange LLC;
or (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York declared by either Federal or New York State authorities
or a material disruption in commercial banking services or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; or (iii) the
outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war,
if the effect of any such event specified in this subsection (h) in your reasonable judgment makes it impracticable or inadvisable
to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Debentures on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus. In such event there shall be no liability on the part of any party to any other party except as otherwise
provided in Section 7 hereof and except for the expenses to be borne by the Corporation as provided in Section 5(j) hereof. |
| (i) | You shall have received a certificate of the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President,
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary and any financial or accounting officer of the Corporation, dated the Closing Date, in which such
officers, to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, shall state that the representations and warranties of the Corporation
in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date, that the Corporation has complied with all agreements and satisfied all
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date, that the conditions specified in subsection (c) of
this Section 6 and subsection (d) of this Section 6 have been satisfied, and that no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are threatened by the Commission. |
| (j) | At the time of the execution of this Agreement, you shall have received a letter dated such date, in form
and substance satisfactory to you, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Corporation’s independent registered public accounting
firm, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters
with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference into the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including specific references to inquiries regarding any increase in long-term
debt (excluding current maturities), decrease in net current assets (defined as current assets less current liabilities) or shareholders’
equity, change in the Corporation’s common stock, and decrease in operating revenues or net income for the period subsequent to
the latest financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement when compared with the corresponding period from
the preceding year, as of a specified date not more than three business days prior to the date of this Agreement. |
| (k) | At the Closing Date, you shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP, a letter dated as of
the Closing Date, to the effect that it reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (j) of
this Section 6, except that the specified date referred to shall be not more than three business days prior to the Closing Date. |
The Corporation will furnish
you with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as you reasonably request.
7. Indemnification.
(a) The Corporation agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, their respective officers and directors, and each
person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, as follows:
| (i) | against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever arising out of any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) including the Rule 430B
Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary
Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus
or any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom
of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, unless such statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Corporation by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement
(or any amendment thereto), the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus; |
| (ii) | against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever to the extent of the aggregate
amount paid in settlement of any litigation, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement
or omission or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Corporation;
and |
| (iii) | against any and all expense whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against
any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged
untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) of this subsection 7(a). |
In no case shall the Corporation be liable under
this indemnity agreement with respect to any claim made against any Underwriter or any such controlling person unless the Corporation
shall be notified in writing of the nature of the claim within a reasonable time after the assertion thereof, but failure so to notify
the Corporation shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than under subsections 7(a) and 7(d). The Corporation
shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense, or, if it so elects, within a reasonable time after receipt of such
notice, to assume the defense of any suit, but if it so elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen
by it and approved by the Underwriter or Underwriters or controlling person or persons, or defendant or defendants in any suit so brought,
which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In any such suit, any Underwriter or any such controlling person shall have the right
to employ its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter or such controlling person
unless (i) the Corporation and such Underwriter shall have mutually agreed to the employment of such counsel, or (ii) the named
parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both such Underwriter or such controlling person and the Corporation
and such Underwriter or such controlling person shall have been advised by such counsel that a conflict of interest between the Corporation
and such Underwriter or such controlling person may arise and for this reason it is not desirable for the same counsel to represent both
the indemnifying party and also the indemnified party (it being understood, however, that the Corporation shall not, in connection with
any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys for all such
Underwriters and all such controlling persons, which firm shall be designated in writing by you). The Corporation agrees to notify you
within a reasonable time of the assertion of any claim against it, any of its officers or directors or any person who controls the Corporation
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, in connection with the sale of the Debentures.
| (b) | Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees that it will indemnify and hold harmless the Corporation,
its directors and each of the officers of the Corporation who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls
the Corporation within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act to the same extent as the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of
this Section 7, but only with respect to statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the
Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Corporation by the Representatives on
behalf of the Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Preliminary Prospectus, the
Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. In case
any action shall be brought against the Corporation or any person so indemnified based on the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the Permitted
Free Writing Prospectus and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights
and duties given to the Corporation, and the Corporation and each person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the
Underwriters, by the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section 7. |
| (c) | No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement
of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have
been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from
all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party. |
| (d) | If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless
an indemnified party in respect of any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (or actions in respect thereof) that
would otherwise have been indemnified under the terms of such indemnity, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid
or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense (or actions in respect thereof) in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Corporation on the one hand and the Underwriters on
the other from the offering of the Debentures. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted
by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute
to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits
but also the relative fault of the Corporation on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Corporation on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Corporation
bear to the total compensation received by the Underwriters in respect of the underwriting discount as set forth in the table on the cover
page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
Corporation on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Corporation and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated
as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
to above in this Section 7. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, liabilities, claims, damages
or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total price at which the Debentures underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of
any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations
to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. |
8. Default
by One or More of the Underwriters. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the principal amount
of the Debentures which it has agreed to purchase hereunder on the Closing Date, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another
party or other parties to purchase such Debentures on the terms contained herein. If within twenty-four hours after such default by any
Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Debentures, then the Corporation shall be entitled to a further period of twenty-four
hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Debentures on such terms. In the event
that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Corporation that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Debentures,
or the Corporation notifies you that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Debentures, you or the Corporation shall have the right
to postpone such Closing Date for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary
in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Corporation
agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which may be required.
The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section 8 with like
effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Debentures.
| (b) | If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Debentures of a defaulting Underwriter
or Underwriters by you or the Corporation as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate amount of such Debentures which remains
unpurchased does not exceed one-tenth of the aggregate amount of all the Debentures to be purchased at such Closing Date then the Corporation
shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the amount of Debentures which such Underwriter agreed to
purchase hereunder at such Closing Date and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based
on the amount of Debentures which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Debentures of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default. |
| (c) | If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Debentures of a defaulting Underwriter
or Underwriters by you or the Corporation as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate amount of such Debentures which remains
unpurchased exceeds one-tenth of the aggregate amount of all the Debentures to be purchased at such Closing Date or if the Corporation
shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase the Debentures
of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter or the Corporation, except for the expenses to be borne by the Corporation as provided in Section 5(j) hereof and
the indemnity and contribution agreement in Section 7 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability
for its default. |
9. Representations
and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the
Corporation or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force
and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Corporation,
or any of their respective officers or directors or any controlling person referred to in Section 7 hereof, and will survive delivery
of and payment for the Debentures.
10. Reliance
on Your Acts. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the Corporation
shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by the Representatives.
11. No
Fiduciary Relationship. The Corporation acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Debentures pursuant to
this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Corporation, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other
hand, (ii) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction, each Underwriter is and
has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Corporation or its shareholders, creditors, employees,
or any other party, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Corporation
with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised
or is currently advising the Corporation on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Corporation with respect to the
offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Underwriters and their respective
affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Corporation, and (v) the
Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transaction contemplated hereby and
the Corporation has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
12. Recognition
of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
| (i) | In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity (as defined below) becomes subject to a proceeding
under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime (as defined below), the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and
obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special
Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of
the United States. |
| (ii) | In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate (as defined below) of
such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights (as defined below) under this
Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could
be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the
United States. |
As used in this Section 12:
“BHC Act Affiliate” has
the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any
of the following:
| (i) | a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R.
§ 252.82(b); |
| (ii) | a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R.
§ 47.3(b); or |
| (iii) | a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R.
§ 382.2(b). |
“Default Right” has the
meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime”
means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
13. Notices.
All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed or telecopied and confirmed to BofA
Securities, Inc., 114 West 47th Street, NY8-114-07-01, New York, NY 10036, Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal, Facsimile:
(212) 901-7881; Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, Attention: Registration Department; J.P. Morgan
Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk, Facsimile: (212) 834-6081; Morgan
Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, Facsimile: (212) 507-8999, Attention: Investment Banking Division; RBC
Capital Markets, LLC, Brookfield Place, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10281, Attention: DCM Transaction Management/Scott
Primrose, Telephone: (212) 618-7706, Email: TMGUS@rbccm.com; Santander US Capital Markets LLC, 437 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022,
Facsimile: (212) 407-0930, Email: DCMAmericas@santander.us; Truist Securities, Inc., 3333 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA
30326, Attention: Investment Grade Capital Markets, Facsimile: (404) 926-5027 or, if sent to the Corporation, will be mailed or telecopied
and confirmed to it at 550 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202, Telephone: (704) 382-5826, attention of Assistant Treasurer. Any
such communications shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
14. Business
Day. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington,
D.C. is open for business.
15. Successors.
This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Corporation and their respective successors.
Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than
the parties hereto and their respective successors and the controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 7 and
their respective successors, heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Agreement or any provision herein contained; this Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for
the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and said controlling persons, officers and directors
and their respective successors, heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser
of Debentures from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
16. Counterparts;
Electronic Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed
to be an original and all of which when taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The words “execution,”
“signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Agreement or in any other certificate, agreement or document
related to this Agreement, the Indenture or the Debentures shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile
or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf”, “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic
signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including,
without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall
be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system
to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the
New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based
on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.
17. Applicable
Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
If the foregoing is in accordance
with your understanding, kindly sign and return to us two counterparts hereof, and upon confirmation and acceptance by the Underwriters,
this Agreement and such confirmation and acceptance will become a binding agreement between the Corporation, on the one hand, and each
of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in accordance with its terms.
|
|
Very truly yours, |
|
|
|
|
Duke Energy Corporation |
|
|
|
By: |
/s/Chris
R. Bauer |
|
|
Name: Chris R. Bauer |
|
|
Title: Assistant Treasurer |
[Remainder of page left blank intentionally]
[Signature Page to
Underwriting Agreement]
The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
BofA Securities, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
JP Morgan Securities LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Santander US Capital Markets LLC
Truist Securities, Inc.
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
BofA
Securities, Inc. |
|
Goldman
Sachs & Co. LLC |
|
|
|
By: |
/s/Jon Klein |
|
By: |
/s/Karim Saleh |
|
Name: John Klein |
|
|
Name: Karim Saleh |
|
Title: Managing Director |
|
|
Title: Managing Director |
|
|
|
J.P.
Morgan Securities LLC |
|
Morgan
Stanley & Co. LLC |
|
|
|
By: |
/s/Robert Bottamedi |
|
By: |
/s/Natalie Smithson |
|
Name: Robert Bottamedi |
|
|
Name: Natalie Smithson |
|
Title: Executive Director |
|
|
Title: Vice President |
|
|
|
RBC
Capital Markets, LLC |
|
Santander
US Capital Markets LLC |
|
|
|
By: |
/s/Salim Mawani |
|
By: |
/s/Richard Zobkiw |
|
Name: Salim Mawani |
|
|
Name: Richard Zobkiw |
|
Title: Authorized Signatory |
|
|
Title: Executive Director |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Truist
Securities, Inc.
By: |
/s/Robert Nordlinger |
|
|
Name: Robert Nordlinger |
|
|
Title: Authorized Signatory |
|
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE A
Underwriter |
|
Principal Amount of
Debentures |
|
BofA Securities, Inc. |
|
$ |
100,000,000 |
|
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
|
|
100,000,000 |
|
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
|
|
100,000,000 |
|
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
|
|
100,000,000 |
|
RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
|
|
100,000,000 |
|
Santander US Capital Markets LLC |
|
|
100,000,000 |
|
Truist Securities, Inc. |
|
|
100,000,000 |
|
Barclays Capital Inc. |
|
|
40,000,000 |
|
BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
|
|
40,000,000 |
|
TD Securities (USA) LLC |
|
|
40,000,000 |
|
Loop Capital Markets LLC |
|
|
42,500,000 |
|
CIBC World Markets Corp. |
|
|
25,000,000 |
|
Huntington Securities, Inc. |
|
|
25,000,000 |
|
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. |
|
|
25,000,000 |
|
Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC |
|
|
25,000,000 |
|
WauBank Securities LLC |
|
|
25,000,000 |
|
American Veterans Group, PBC |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
AmeriVet Securities, Inc. |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
Drexel Hamilton, LLC |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
Great Pacific Securities |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
Penserra Securities LLC |
|
|
2,500,000 |
|
Total |
|
$ |
1,000,000,000 |
|
SCHEDULE B
PRICING DISCLOSURE PACKAGE
| 2) | Preliminary Prospectus Supplement
dated August 19, 2024 |
| 3) | Permitted Free Writing Prospectus |
| a) | Pricing Term Sheet attached as
Schedule C hereto |
SCHEDULE C
Filed pursuant to Rule 433
August 19, 2024
Relating to
Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated August 19,
2024 to
Prospectus dated September 23, 2022
Registration Statement No. 333-267583
Duke Energy Corporation
$1,000,000,000 6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2054
Pricing Term Sheet
Issuer: |
Duke Energy Corporation (the “Issuer”) |
Security Description: |
6.45% Fixed-to-Fixed Reset Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2054 (the “Debentures”) |
Registration Format: |
SEC Registered |
Trade Date: |
August 19, 2024 |
Settlement Date*: |
August 22, 2024 (T+3) |
Interest Payment Dates: |
Semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, commencing March 1, 2025, subject to deferral |
Optional Deferral of Interest: |
Up to 10 consecutive years per deferral; deferred interest payments will accrue additional interest at an annual rate equal to the interest rate then applicable to the Debentures, as permitted by law. |
Principal Amount: |
$1,000,000,000 |
Maturity: |
September 1, 2054 |
Interest Rate: |
(i) from and including the date of original issuance to but excluding September 1, 2034 (the “First Reset Date”) at an annual rate of 6.45% and (ii) from and including the First Reset Date during each Interest Reset Period (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, dated August 19, 2024 (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”)) at an annual rate equal to the Five-Year Treasury Rate (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) as of the most recent Reset Interest Determination Date (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement), plus a spread of 2.588%, to be reset on each Interest Reset Date (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement). For additional information and the definitions of the terms Interest Reset Period, Five-Year Treasury Rate, Reset Interest Determination Date and Reset Date, see “Description of the Debentures – Interest” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. |
Interest Reset Date: |
The First Reset Date and each date falling on the five-year anniversary of the preceding Interest Reset Date. |
Denominations: |
$2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof |
Price to the Public: |
100.000% per Debenture (plus accrued interest, if any, from August 22, 2024) |
Over-allotment Option: |
None |
Optional Redemption Provisions: |
|
Par
Call: |
In whole or in part (i) on any day in the period commencing on the date falling 90 days prior to the First Reset Date and ending on and including the First Reset Date and (ii) after the First Reset Date, on any interest payment date, at a redemption price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Debentures being redeemed, plus, subject to the terms described in the first paragraph under “Description of the Debentures – Redemption Procedures” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, any accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional Interest thereon). |
Call for Tax Event: |
Following the occurrence of a Tax Event, in whole but not in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Debentures being redeemed plus, subject to the terms described in the first paragraph under “Description of the Debentures – Redemption Procedures” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional Interest) on the principal amount of such Debentures being redeemed to, but excluding, the date of such redemption. |
Call for Rating Agency Event: |
Following the occurrence of a Rating Agency Event, in whole but not in part, at a redemption price equal to 102% of the principal amount of the Debentures being redeemed plus, subject to the terms described in the first paragraph under “Description of the Debentures – Redemption Procedures” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional Interest) on the principal amount of such Debentures being redeemed to, but excluding, the date of such redemption. |
CUSIP / ISIN: |
26441C CG8 / US26441CCG87 |
Joint Book-Running Managers: |
BofA Securities, Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Santander US Capital Markets LLC
Truist Securities, Inc.
Barclays Capital Inc.
BMO Capital Markets Corp.
TD Securities (USA) LLC |
Co-Managers: |
Loop Capital Markets LLC
CIBC World Markets Corp.
Huntington Securities, Inc.
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.
Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC
WauBank Securities LLC
American Veterans Group, PBC
AmeriVet Securities, Inc.
Drexel Hamilton, LLC
Great Pacific Securities
Penserra Securities LLC |
Terms used herein but not defined herein shall
have the respective meanings as set forth in in the Issuer’s Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated August 19, 2024.
* Settlement: Under Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are
required to settle in one business day unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish
to trade the Debentures on the Trade Date or the next succeeding business day will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Debentures
initially will settle in T+3, to specify an alternative settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement.
Purchasers of the Debentures who wish to trade the Debentures on the Trade Date or the next succeeding business day should consult their
own advisors.
The Issuer has filed a registration statement
(including a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the offering to which this communication
relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with
the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the
SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange
to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling BofA Securities, Inc. toll-free at (800) 294-1322, Goldman Sachs &
Co. LLC toll-free at 1-866-520-4056, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC collect at (212) 834-4533, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC toll-free
at (866) 718-1649, RBC Capital Markets, LLC toll-free at (866) 375-6829, Santander US Capital Markets LLC toll-free at (855) 403-3636
or Truist Securities, Inc. toll-free at (800) 685-4786.
ANY DISCLAIMER OR OTHER NOTICE THAT MAY APPEAR
BELOW IS NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMER OR NOTICE WAS AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT
OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING SENT BY BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER EMAIL SYSTEM.
Schedule D
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 18, 2022,
among Duke Energy Corporation, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Duke Energy Ohio, Inc., Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, Duke Energy Kentucky, Inc.,
Duke Energy Progress, LLC, Duke Energy Florida, LLC, and Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc., the Lenders party thereto, Wells Fargo
Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent and Swingline Lender and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as Joint Lead Arranger, Joint
Bookrunner and Sustainability Structuring Agent.
Amendment No. 1, dated as of March 17, 2023, to Amended and
Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 18, 2022.
v3.24.2.u1
Cover
|
Aug. 22, 2024 |
Document Type |
8-K
|
Amendment Flag |
false
|
Document Period End Date |
Aug. 22, 2024
|
Entity File Number |
001-32853
|
Entity Registrant Name |
DUKE
ENERGY CORPORATION
|
Entity Central Index Key |
0001326160
|
Entity Tax Identification Number |
20-2777218
|
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code |
DE
|
Entity Address, Address Line One |
525 South Tryon Street
|
Entity Address, City or Town |
Charlotte
|
Entity Address, State or Province |
NC
|
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code |
28202-1803
|
City Area Code |
800
|
Local Phone Number |
488-3853
|
Written Communications |
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|
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|
Pre-commencement Tender Offer |
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|
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer |
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|
Common Stock [Member] |
|
Title of 12(b) Security |
Common Stock, $0.001 par
value
|
Trading Symbol |
DUK
|
Security Exchange Name |
NYSE
|
5.625% Junior Subordinated Debentures due September 15, 2078 [Member] |
|
Title of 12(b) Security |
5.625% Junior Subordinated
Debentures due September 15, 2078
|
Trading Symbol |
DUKB
|
Security Exchange Name |
NYSE
|
Depositary Shares [Member] |
|
Title of 12(b) Security |
Depositary Shares
|
Trading Symbol |
DUK PR A
|
Security Exchange Name |
NYSE
|
3.10% Senior Notes due 2028 [Member] |
|
Title of 12(b) Security |
3.10% Senior Notes due 2028
|
Trading Symbol |
DUK 28A
|
Security Exchange Name |
NYSE
|
3.85% Senior Notes due 2034 [Member] |
|
Title of 12(b) Security |
3.85% Senior Notes due 2034
|
Trading Symbol |
DUK34
|
Security Exchange Name |
NYSE
|
3.75% Senior Notes due 2031 [Member] |
|
Title of 12(b) Security |
3.75% Senior Notes due 2031
|
Trading Symbol |
DUK 31A
|
Security Exchange Name |
NYSE
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Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK-A)
Gráfico Histórico do Ativo
De Dez 2024 até Jan 2025
Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK-A)
Gráfico Histórico do Ativo
De Jan 2024 até Jan 2025