Energy Incident Register
Register / Grid infrastructure / EIR-0791
← Back to the list
Grid infrastructureUnited StatesEIR-0791

Fire at Duke Energy substation in Matthews reported to cut power to thousands

Mar 2022Published 15 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fireProvisional
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersLow confidence
supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hidden
Where
Duke Energy substation in Matthews
Operator
Duke Energy
What
Fire on portable maintenance equipment cut power to thousands
Cause
Not reported

Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Duke Energy

What happened

On 18 March 2022, WBTV reported a fire at a Duke Energy substation in Matthews that led to thousands of customers losing power. Duke Energy said the fire occurred on a portable piece of equipment being used for maintenance at the substation. The report does not say how the fire started, how much equipment was damaged, how long the power cut lasted, or whether anyone was hurt.

Contributing factors

The only account is that the fire was on portable equipment in use for maintenance. No cause, fault or failure mode is reported.

Lessons learned

  1. Portable equipment used for substation maintenance can catch fire and must be included in the work plan with clear isolation steps.
  2. A fire on temporary site equipment can interrupt supply to many customers, so restoration plans must be in place before work begins.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, outages, backup supply and restoration, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • How the fire started
  • Extent of equipment damage
  • Duration of the power cut
  • Whether anyone was hurt

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

wbtv.com

Other entries that name Duke

Published 2026-09-15. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

See the register's stories first in Google: add it as a preferred source.

Chart to reuse with this story: Grid infrastructure incidents in the United States, by year, free with a credit (PNG).

Grid infrastructure incidents in the United States: 449 entries, with a free alert for the next one.

Substation and transformer fires: the counts, the latest entries and a free alert for the next one.

Browse the full register or submit an incident.