LEASES
As part of its operations, Duke Energy leases certain aviation facilities, space on communication towers, dedicated host servers, industrial equipment, fleet vehicles, fuel transportation (barges and railcars), land and office space under various terms and expiration dates. Additionally, Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Indiana have finance leases related to firm natural gas pipeline transportation capacity. Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Florida have entered into certain purchase power agreements, which are classified as finance and operating leases.
Duke Energy has certain lease agreements, which include variable lease payments that are based on the usage of an asset. These variable lease payments are not included in the measurement of the ROU assets or operating lease liabilities on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Certain Duke Energy lease agreements include options for renewal and early termination. The intent to renew a lease varies depending on the lease type and asset. Renewal options that are reasonably certain to be exercised are included in the lease measurements. The decision to terminate a lease early is dependent on various economic factors. No termination options have been included in any of the lease measurements.
In December 2019, Duke Energy Carolinas entered into a sale-leaseback arrangement to construct and occupy an office tower. The lease agreement was evaluated as a sale-leaseback of real estate but did not qualify for sale-leaseback accounting. As a result, the transaction is accounted for as a financing. Duke Energy Carolinas recorded the real estate on the Consolidated Balance Sheets within Property, Plant and Equipment as if it is the legal owner and recognizes depreciation expense over the estimated useful life. In addition, the failed sale-leaseback obligation is reported within Long-Term Debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheets with the monthly lease payments split between interest expense and debt principal.
Piedmont has certain agreements for the construction and transportation of natural gas pipelines to supply Duke Energy Carolinas' natural gas plant needs. Piedmont accounts for these pipeline lateral contracts as sales-type leases since the present value of the sum of the lease payments equals the fair value of the assets. These pipeline lateral assets owned by Piedmont had a current net investment basis of $3 million and $2 million as of December 31, 2025, and 2024, and a long-term net investment basis of $194 million and $197 million as of December 31, 2025, and 2024, respectively. These assets are classified in Other, within Current Assets and Other Noncurrent Assets, respectively, on Piedmont's Consolidated Balance Sheets. Duke Energy Carolinas accounts for the contracts as finance leases. The activity for these contracts is eliminated in consolidation at Duke Energy.
The following tables present the components of lease expense.
Year Ended December 31, 2025
DukeDukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergyEnergy
(in millions)EnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaOhioIndianaPiedmont
Operating lease expense(a)
$283 $60 $181 $91 $90 $14 $27 $1 
Short-term lease expense(a)
6  3  3  1  
Variable lease expense(a)
39 2 35 26 9  1 1 
Finance lease expense
Amortization of leased assets(b)
64 12 53 43 10  2  
Interest on lease liabilities(c)
40 30 43 39 4  1  
Total finance lease expense104 42 96 82 14  3  
Total lease expense$432 $104 $315 $199 $116 $14 $32 $2 
Year Ended December 31, 2024
DukeDukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergyEnergy
(in millions)EnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaOhioIndianaPiedmont
Operating lease expense(a)
$275 $66 $173 $82 $91 $12 $23 $
Short-term lease expense(a)
— — — 
Variable lease expense(a)
33 29 19 10 — 
Finance lease expense
Amortization of leased assets(b)
113 46 38 — — — 
Interest on lease liabilities(c)
41 31 44 41 — — 
Total finance lease expense154 38 90 79 11 — — 
Total lease expense$469 $106 $295 $181 $114 $12 $26 $
(a)    Included in Operation, maintenance and other, except for expenses primarily related to barges and railcars, which is included in Fuel used in electric generation and purchased power on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(b)    Included in Depreciation and amortization on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(c)    Included in Interest Expense on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The following table presents operating lease maturities and a reconciliation of the undiscounted cash flows to operating lease liabilities.
December 31, 2025
DukeDukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergyEnergy
(in millions)EnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaOhioIndianaPiedmont
2026$289 $24 $126 $61 $65 $1 $7 $1 
2027239 18 98 61 37 1 6 1 
2028200 15 83 60 23 1 4 1 
2029171 12 81 59 22  4  
2030136 9 73 59 14  3  
Thereafter539 44 368 231 137 3 17  
Total operating lease payments1,574 122 829 531 298 6 41 3 
Less: Present value discount
(303)(23)(177)(104)(73)(1)(7) 
Total operating lease liabilities(a)
$1,271 $99 $652 $427 $225 $5 $34 $3 
(a)    Certain operating lease payments include renewal options that are reasonably certain to be exercised.
The following table presents finance lease maturities and a reconciliation of the undiscounted cash flows to finance lease liabilities.
December 31, 2025
DukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergy
(in millions)EnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaIndiana
2026$95 $40 $94 $81 $13 $2 
202788 40 91 82 9 2 
202884 39 90 82 8 1 
202981 38 90 82 8 1 
203082 39 90 82 8 1 
Thereafter497 319 437 323 114 18 
Total finance lease payments927 515 892 732 160 25 
Less: Amounts representing interest
(351)(243)(323)(251)(72)(15)
Total finance lease liabilities$576 $272 $569 $481 $88 $10 
The following tables contain additional information related to leases.
December 31, 2025
DukeDukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergyEnergy
(in millions)ClassificationEnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaOhioIndianaPiedmont
Assets
OperatingOperating lease ROU assets, net$1,241 $91 $607 $386 $221 $5 $32 $2 
FinanceNet property, plant and equipment654 251 605 478 127  8  
Total lease assets$1,895 $342 $1,212 $864 $348 $5 $40 $2 
Liabilities
Current
OperatingOther current liabilities$238 $20 $100 $43 $57 $ $6 $1 
FinanceCurrent maturities of long-term debt55 11 53 45 8    
Noncurrent
OperatingOperating lease liabilities1,033 79 552 384 168 5 28 2 
FinanceLong-Term Debt521 261 516 436 80  10  
Total lease liabilities$1,847 $371 $1,221 $908 $313 $5 $44 $3 
December 31, 2024
DukeDukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergyEnergy
(in millions)ClassificationEnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaOhioIndianaPiedmont
Assets
OperatingOperating lease ROU assets, net$1,148 $98 $625 $348 $277 $$37 $
FinanceNet property, plant and equipment645 252 620 512 108 — — 
Total lease assets$1,793 $350 $1,245 $860 $385 $$43 $
Liabilities
Current
OperatingOther current liabilities$208 $20 $97 $42 $55 $$$
FinanceCurrent maturities of long-term debt46 48 41 — — — 
Noncurrent
OperatingOperating lease liabilities957 87 557 332 225 33 
FinanceLong-Term Debt524 262 533 474 59 — 10 — 
Total lease liabilities$1,735 $377 $1,235 $889 $346 $$49 $
Year Ended December 31, 2025
DukeDukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergyEnergy
(in millions)EnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaOhioIndianaPiedmont
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities(a)
Operating cash flows from operating leases$277 $24 $122 $56 $66 $1 $8 $1 
Operating cash flows from finance leases40 30 43 39 4  1  
Financing cash flows from finance leases64 12 53 43 10  2  
Lease assets obtained in exchange for new lease liabilities (non-cash)
Operating
$348 $4 $6 $6 $ $ $1 $ 
Finance72 15 40 9 31  2  
Year Ended December 31, 2024
DukeDukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergyEnergy
(in millions)EnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaOhioIndianaPiedmont
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities(a)
Operating cash flows from operating leases$250 $24 $122 $57 $65 $$$
Operating cash flows from finance leases41 31 44 41 — — 
Financing cash flows from finance leases113 46 38 — — — 
Lease assets obtained in exchange for new lease liabilities (non-cash)
Operating
$322 $50 $43 $$40 $— $$
Finance81 55 — 55 — — 
(a)    No amounts were classified as investing cash flows from operating leases.
December 31, 2025
DukeDukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergyEnergy
EnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaOhioIndianaPiedmont
Weighted average remaining lease term (years)
Operating leases89109121193
Finance leases1214111021 19 
Weighted average discount rate(a)
Operating leases4.5 %4.4 %4.4 %4.4 %4.3 %4.2 %3.9 %4.0 %
Finance leases8.2 %11.3 %8.6 %9.2 %5.8 % %11.6 % %
December 31, 2024
DukeDukeDukeDukeDuke
DukeEnergyProgressEnergyEnergyEnergyEnergy
EnergyCarolinasEnergyProgressFloridaOhioIndianaPiedmont
Weighted average remaining lease term (years)
Operating leases89981111114
Finance leases1115111015— 20— 
Weighted average discount rate(a)
Operating leases4.3 %4.3 %4.0 %3.9 %4.2 %4.1 %4.0 %3.9 %
Finance leases8.4 %11.5 %8.9 %9.2 %5.9 %— %11.7 %— %
(a)    The discount rate is calculated using the rate implicit in a lease if it is readily determinable. Generally, the rate used by the lessor is not provided to Duke Energy and in these cases the incremental borrowing rate is used. Duke Energy will typically use its fully collateralized incremental borrowing rate as of the commencement date to calculate and record the lease. The incremental borrowing rate is influenced by the lessee’s credit rating and lease term and as such may differ for individual leases, embedded leases or portfolios of leased assets.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 26, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 27, 2025
2023Feb 23, 2024
2022Feb 27, 2023
2021Feb 24, 2022
2020Feb 25, 2021
2019Feb 20, 2020

About Leases Disclosures

Lease disclosures under ASC 842 provide a comprehensive view of a company's leased asset portfolio, including the split between operating and finance leases, discount rates used to present-value future payments, and the maturity schedule of lease obligations. This section reveals a significant source of off-balance-sheet commitments that were largely hidden before the current standard.

Key signals: the weighted-average discount rate affects the size of recorded lease liabilities — a higher rate reduces the reported obligation, so compare the chosen rate against the company's incremental borrowing rate. The operating versus finance lease mix affects both EBITDA and operating income presentation. Watch the maturity table for concentration risk: large payment cliffs in specific years may create cash flow pressure. Variable lease payments excluded from the liability measurement represent real obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet. Compare total lease costs against prior-year operating lease expense to assess the true economic burden.