Duke Energy Starts Ash Cleanup as N.C. Considers Tighter Regs

Meanwhile, two Duke shareholders, including a St. Louis police pension fund, sued company top executives and directors May 26, claiming the accident and the lack of previous ash controls expose the utility to new liability.

Duke said it had hired outside engineers to assess all of its ash-storage sites.

Scott Judy is Deputy Editor for Regions, and editor of ENR Southeast, one of Engineering News-Record's 10 Regional publications. His roughly 27 years as a construction journalist began with an 11-year stint covering Midwest construction projects. In 2000, Judy helped launch the publication now known as ENR Southeast. He often delves into controversial aspects of the construction industry such as bankruptcies and fatal accidents, and wishes he would never have to cover another accident but suspects that he might.