Duke Energy CORP | 2013 | FY |

7. GUARANTEES AND INDEMNIFICATIONS

Duke Energy and Progress Energy have various financial and performance guarantees and indemnifications, which are issued in the normal course of business. As discussed below, these contracts include performance guarantees, stand-by letters of credit, debt guarantees, surety bonds and indemnifications. Duke Energy and Progress Energy enter into these arrangements to facilitate commercial transactions with third parties by enhancing the value of the transaction to the third party. At December 31, 2013, Duke Energy and Progress Energy do not believe conditions are likely for significant performance under these guarantees. To the extent liabilities are incurred as a result of the activities covered by the guarantees, such liabilities are included on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

On January 2, 2007, Duke Energy completed the spin-off of its natural gas businesses to shareholders. Guarantees issued by Duke Energy or its affiliates, or assigned to Duke Energy prior to the spin-off, remained with Duke Energy subsequent to the spin-off. Guarantees issued by Spectra Energy Capital, LLC, formerly known as Duke Capital LLC, (Spectra Capital) or its affiliates prior to the spin-off remained with Spectra Capital subsequent to the spin-off, except for guarantees that were later assigned to Duke Energy. Duke Energy has indemnified Spectra Capital against any losses incurred under certain of the guarantee obligations that remain with Spectra Capital. At December 31, 2013, the maximum potential amount of future payments associated with these guarantees was $205 million, the majority of which expires by 2028.

Duke Energy has issued performance guarantees to customers and other third parties that guarantee the payment and performance of other parties, including certain non-wholly owned entities, as well as guarantees of debt of certain non-consolidated entities and less than wholly owned consolidated entities. If such entities were to default on payments or performance, Duke Energy would be required under the guarantees to make payments on the obligations of the less than wholly owned entity. The maximum potential amount of future payments required under these guarantees as of December 31, 2013, was $285 million. Of this amount, $15 million relates to guarantees issued on behalf of less than wholly owned consolidated entities, with the remainder related to guarantees issued on behalf of third parties and unconsolidated affiliates of Duke Energy. Of the guarantees noted above, $102 million of the guarantees expire between 2015 and 2033, with the remaining performance guarantees having no contractual expiration.

Duke Energy has guaranteed certain issuers of surety bonds, obligating itself to make payment upon the failure of a wholly owned and former non-wholly owned entity to honor its obligations to a third party. Under these arrangements, Duke Energy has payment obligations that are triggered by a draw by the third party or customer due to the failure of the wholly owned or former non-wholly owned entity to perform according to the terms of its underlying contract. At December 31, 2013, Duke Energy had guaranteed $92 million of outstanding surety bonds. Of this amount, $54 million, expire in 2014, the remaining expires between 2015 – 2021.

At December 31, 2013, Duke Energy had $457 million of unused bank-issued stand-by letters of credit to secure the performance of wholly owned and non-wholly owned entities to a third party or customer.

Duke Energy and Progress Energy has issued indemnifications for certain asset performance, legal, tax and environmental matters to third parties, including indemnifications made in connection with sales of businesses. At December 31, 2013, the estimated maximum exposure for these indemnifications was $117 million, the majority of which expires in 2017. Of this amount, $7 million has no contractual expiration. For certain matters for which Progress Energy receives timely notice, indemnity obligations may extend beyond the notice period. Certain indemnifications related to discontinued operations have no limitations as to time or maximum potential future payments.

The following table includes the liabilities recognized for the guarantees discussed above. These amounts are primarily recorded in Other within Deferred Credits and other Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As current estimates change, additional losses related to guarantees and indemnifications to third parties, which could be material, may be recorded by the Duke Energy Registrants in the future. The decrease in 2013 was mainly due the expiration of guarantees. Accruals and expenditures were not material.

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