CINCINNATI, Aug. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy today made progress cleaning up an overnight spill of approximately 3,000 to 5,000 gallons of fuel oil into the Ohio River at W.C. Beckjord Station, 20 miles southeast of Cincinnati.

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The company will continue cleanup operations tonight and around-the-clock.

The company is working closely, on-site, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection and local agencies in response to the spill.

The incident occurred shortly after 11 p.m. Monday during a fuel oil transfer at the plant on the banks of the Ohio River in New Richmond, Ohio.

The company Monday night and early today quickly mobilized internal and external resources to respond to the spill, including three vessels on the river that have deployed approximately 2,000 feet of oil-containment booms to contain and help collect the oil.

"We're working around the clock to rapidly and fully restore the affected section of the Ohio River and coordinating closely with local officials to make sure that drinking water continues to remain safe," said Lynn Good, president and CEO of Duke Energy. "We take responsibility for the cleanup and the well being of the communities we serve."

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at: www.duke-energy.com.

Contact: Sally Thelen
24-Hour media line: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy