Regulatory Uncertainty and Policy Shifts: The highly regulated nature of utilities means changes in energy policy, environmental regulations, or rate-setting methodologies by state and federal commissions can significantly impact Duke Energy's profitability, investment recovery, and operational strategies.

Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events: Increased frequency and intensity of severe weather (hurricanes, ice storms, heatwaves) due to climate change pose risks to infrastructure resilience, lead to higher repair costs, and can cause significant service disruptions, impacting both operational expenses and customer relations.

Cybersecurity Threats and Infrastructure Attacks: As a critical infrastructure provider, Duke Energy faces constant and evolving threats from cyberattacks targeting operational technology (OT) systems and information technology (IT) networks, potentially leading to service outages, data breaches, and reputational damage.