Duke Energy has announced that Preston Gillespie, executive vice president, chief generation officer and enterprise operational excellence, will retire after 40 years with the company. Gillespie will remain at Duke Energy until March 1, 2027, to support a smooth transition. Starting March 1, 2026, he will guide the company’s decisions on new nuclear initiatives.
Harry Sideris, president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy, commented on the leadership change: “Our customers rely on us for dependable, affordable energy, while a rapidly changing world demands greater speed, agility and innovation. The depth of leadership talent and thoughtful transition provides the continuity that allows the company to deliver today and invest for the future – supporting the growth we are delivering for our communities across our service territories.
“On behalf of everyone at Duke Energy, I want to thank Preston for his decades of dedicated service to the company,” Sideris continued. “Over the course of 40-plus years, Preston has been an invaluable asset whose leadership and commitment have shaped our culture and driven our generation and operational excellence division to new heights. His unwavering focus on safety, performance and cost efficiency has set the standard for our industry and inspired those around him.”
Gillespie’s career at Duke Energy began in 1986 as an assistant engineer at Oconee Nuclear Station. He later earned his senior reactor operator license and held various roles in engineering and operations. As chief nuclear officer prior to his current position, Gillespie oversaw safe operation of what is described as the nation’s largest regulated nuclear generating fleet.
Effective March 1, 2026, Kelvin Henderson will become senior vice president, chief generation officer and enterprise operational excellence. Henderson currently serves as senior vice president and chief nuclear officer. In his new role he will manage Duke Energy’s portfolio of generation assets as it works to meet increasing energy demand while controlling costs for customers. Henderson brings over three decades of experience in nuclear operations.
Steven Capps is set to take over as senior vice president and chief nuclear officer upon Henderson’s appointment. Capps is currently responsible for new nuclear development and operations support at Duke Energy. He has held several leadership positions within the company’s nuclear division during his tenure spanning more than thirty years.
Duke Energy is one of America’s largest energy holding companies with electric utilities serving about 8.6 million customers across six states including Florida; its natural gas utilities serve another 1.7 million customers in five states.
The company continues its focus on modernizing infrastructure by investing in grid upgrades and cleaner energy sources such as natural gas, renewables, nuclear power and storage solutions.
