Smarter Lights, Lower Costs: How Duke Energy Is Cutting Energy Use at Scale

At a time when utilities are under increasing pressure to reduce operating costs and enhance service without raising rates, Duke Energy is embracing network lighting controls as a strategic solution. With over 360,000 smart nodes already deployed and a long-term plan to modernize 2.5 million lighting assets across six states, the utility giant is proving how innovation can deliver both savings and smarter service. Lighting controls are widely recognized as a key tool in improving energy efficiency, enhancing operational visibility, and enabling more responsive infrastructure.

So, how does one of the largest regulated utilities in the U.S. deploy intelligent lighting across a vast and varied geography, without passing costs onto customers?

In this episode of Verizon Business, host Geoff Somerville, Client Partner with Verizon IoT, sits down with Sherri Sanchez, Senior PM for Verizon Intelligent Lighting Solutions, and Chris Danforth, Smart Technology Manager at Duke Energy, to unpack Duke’s ambitious rollout strategy, the cost-saving innovations driving it, and the real-world benefits emerging from intelligent lighting control.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

• Duke Energy’s “shotgun” deployment approach: By installing smart nodes during routine maintenance, Duke minimizes truck rolls and maximizes cost savings.
• Operational efficiencies and customer service gains: From outage detection to remote disconnects, smart nodes are streamlining Duke’s response to customer and maintenance needs.
• Real-world use cases: Duke has used lighting controls to support community events like the solar eclipse and July 4th celebrations, remotely dimming or deactivating lights to enhance experiences while saving resources.

Chris Danforth is the Principal Strategy & Planning Manager for Outdoor Lighting at Duke Energy, where he leads the deployment of smart lighting network controls across 2.5 million fixtures in six states. With over 25 years at Duke and a strong focus on utility-scale infrastructure and smart technology, he has helped drive operational efficiency and connectivity through intelligent lighting and cellular co-location strategies. In addition to his utility leadership, he is also the founder of TUFF Software, where he developed patented, user-centric software solutions used by enterprise clients including Duke Energy.

Sherri Sanchez is a senior business and product development leader at Verizon, where she drives the strategy and adoption of the company’s Grid Wide smart utility platform. With over two decades of experience spanning smart grid, IoT, cloud platforms, and enterprise software, she has successfully led cross-functional product launches, strategic alliances, and partner-driven solutions across global markets. Her career highlights include managing Verizon’s Smart Grid PaaS offerings, launching M2M connectivity platforms, and creating industry-first managed services models at companies like EMC, IBM, and Texas Instruments.

Article written by MarketScale.