Duke Energy 2011 Annual Report Download - page 15

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This document includes forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs
and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are
identified by terms and phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,”
“intend,” “estimate,” “expect,”“continue,” “should,” “could,” “may,”
“plan,” “project,” “predict,” “will,” “potential,” “forecast,” “target,”
“guidance,” “outlook” and similar expressions. Forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause
actual results to be materially different from the results predicted.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those indicated in any forward-looking statement include, but are
not limited to: state, federal and foreign legislative and regulatory
initiatives, including costs of compliance with existing and future
environmental requirements, as well as rulings that affect cost
and investment recovery or have an impact on rate structures;
costs and effects of legal and administrative proceedings,
settlements, investigations and claims; industrial, commercial
and residential growth or decline in Duke Energy’s service
territories, customer base or customer usage patterns;
additional competition in electric markets and continued
industry consolidation; political and regulatory uncertainty in
other countries in which Duke Energy conducts business; the
influence of weather and other natural phenomena on Duke
Energy’s operations, including the economic, operational and
other effects of storms, hurricanes, droughts and tornados; the
impact on Duke Energy’s facilities and business from a terrorist
attack; the inherent risks associated with the operation and
potential construction of nuclear facilities, including
environmental, health, safety, regulatory and financial risks;
the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices, interest
rates and foreign currency exchange rates; unscheduled
generation outages, unusual maintenance or repairs and electric
transmission system constraints; the performance of electric
generation facilities and of projects undertaken by Duke Energy’s
nonregulated businesses; the results of financing efforts,
including the Duke Energy’s subsidiaries, ability to obtain
financing on favorable terms, which can be affected by various
factors, including the credit ratings of Duke Energy and its
subsidiaries and general economic conditions; declines in the
market prices of equity securities and resultant cash funding
requirements for Duke Energy’s defined benefit pension plans;
the level of creditworthiness of counterparties to Duke Energy’s
transactions; employee workforce factors, including the
potential inability to attract and retain key personnel; growth
in opportunities for the Duke Energy and its business units,
including the timing and success of efforts to develop domestic
and international power and other projects; construction and
development risks associated with the completion of the capital
investment projects of Duke Energy and its subsidiaries in
existing and new generation facilities, including risks related
to financing, obtaining and complying with terms of permits,
meeting construction budgets and schedules, and satisfying
operating and environmental performance standards, as well
as the ability to recover costs from ratepayers in a timely manner
or at all; the effect of accounting pronouncements issued
periodically by accounting standard-setting bodies; the expected
timing and likelihood of completion of the proposed merger with
Progress Energy, Inc. (Progress Energy), including the timing,
receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental
and regulatory approvals of the proposed merger that could
reduce anticipated benefits or cause the parties to abandon the
merger, the diversion of management’s time and attention from
Duke Energy’s ongoing business during this time period, the
ability to maintain relationships with customers, employees or
suppliers as well as the ability to successfully integrate the
businesses and realize cost savings and any other synergies
and the risk that the credit ratings of the combined company
or its subsidiaries may be different from what the companies
expect; the risk that the proposed merger with Progress Energy
is terminated prior to completion and results in significant
transaction costs to Duke Energy; and the ability to successfully
complete merger, acquisition or divestiture plans.
DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION 2011 ANNUAL REPORT 13