ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Duke Energy Florida, in partnership with the Florida Forest Service and the Arbor Day Foundation's Energy-Saving Trees program, is providing 1,200 trees in one-gallon pots to customers for free, in honor of Florida Arbor Day Friday.

Duke Energy customers throughout the state are eligible and can request a tree by visiting arborday.org/dukeenergy beginning Friday until all trees are distributed.

Customers can sign up on the website and select the location on their property where the tree will be planted. The website then recommends which of the available tree species would be best suited and where to plant it to obtain the most energy-saving benefits for the home.

The tree is then shipped directly to the customer's home in a box with planting and care instructions.

Available tree species include the Eastern Redbud, Common Crapemyrtle, Weeping Bottlebrush, White Fringetree, Dahoon Holly, and 'Florida Prince' Peach.

Through the partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, the Florida Forest Service is matching Duke Energy Florida's investment of $20,000 to purchase the trees.

'This Energy-Saving Trees partnership exemplifies our commitment to the environment and our customers,' said Harry Sideris, president, Duke Energy Florida. 'Duke Energy Florida has been designated a Tree Line USA utility by the Arbor Day Foundation for 10 consecutive years. We strive to be good stewards while working to educate customers about planting the right tree in the right place for their benefit and ours.'

The Arbor Day Foundation's Energy-Saving Trees and Tree Line USA programs demonstrate how trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and citizens by highlighting best management practices in public and private utility arboriculture. Tree Line USA evaluates applicants based on several criteria, including adherence to industry best practices for tree care, training of employees and contractors, implementation of public education and tree planting projects, and participation in annual Arbor Day events.

According to the Florida Forest Service, Florida has one of the oldest Arbor Day celebrations in the nation, having celebrated it on the third Friday in January since 1886. National Arbor Day has been observed since 1872 on the last Friday in April.

For additional information, customers can visit arborday.org/dukeenergy.

About Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida owns and operates a diverse generation mix, including renewables, providing about 9,000 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.7 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.

With its Florida regional headquarters located in St. Petersburg, Fla., Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States. It supplies and delivers electricity to approximately 7.4 million customers in the Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately 24 million people. The company also distributes natural gas to more than 1.5 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its commercial business operates a growing renewable energy portfolio and transmission infrastructure across the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.

The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online destination for stories about remarkable people, innovations, and community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and insights into the future of energy.

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Peveeta Persaud

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

Twitter: @DE_PeveetaP

Duke Energy Corporation published this content on 19 January 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 19 January 2017 16:07:07 UTC.

Original documenthttps://news.duke-energy.com/releases/releases-20170119

Public permalinkhttp://www.publicnow.com/view/D3F7EA12365416279FB39921B125262DB4496779