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Winners serve Duke Energy customers in Noblesville, Princeton, Rochester, Sullivan, Wabash, Westfield areas
PLAINFIELD, Ind. – Duke Energy lineworkers from Indiana advanced from a regional rodeo last weekend to represent the company at the International Lineman’s Rodeo in October in Bonner Springs, Kansas, where they will compete against top lineworkers from around the world.
Why it matters: For customers, reliability starts with highly trained lineworkers. These competitions sharpen the real-world skills lineworkers use every day – working quickly, precisely and safely to keep power flowing and restore service when outages occur.
By practicing complex repairs and restoration work in a controlled, deenergized environment, lineworkers reinforce strict safety standards and best practices that carry directly into the field. The result is a stronger, more resilient electric grid, faster outage restoration, and continued investments in modern, smart technologies that reduce outages and improve reliability for customers.
Who came out on top: The following Duke Energy apprentice lineworkers qualified as individuals for the International Lineman’s Rodeo. Apprentice lineworkers are in training to become qualified journeyman lineworkers. Listed next to the winners’ names are the Duke Energy Operations Centers where they are based.
- Trey Stesiak, Rochester
- Riley Hilty, Wabash
- Kaleb Kelsheimer, Wabash
And the below journeyman teams also qualified.
- Brit Stevens; Princeton; Coledon Sumner, Princeton; and Andrew Woods, Sullivan
- Jason Washburn, Noblesville; Collin Boschert, Noblesville; and Joshua Mullen, Noblesville
- Chase Nickell, Westfield; Tyler Adrian, Westfield; and Peter Theide, Westfield
What they’re saying:
Chris Lange, regional senior vice president of Grid Operations for Duke Energy:
“What our lineworkers demonstrate at these rodeos is what customers depend on year‑round – strong safety practices, advanced training, and a relentless focus on reliability. These events reinforce the expertise that helps restore power faster, strengthen the grid, and deliver dependable service when it matters most. We’re proud to recognize the dedication behind that work.”
Duke Energy Indiana
Duke Energy Indiana, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 6,800 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 930,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana’s largest electric supplier.
Contact: Tina Noel
24-Hour: 800.559.3853