Opinion Letter – In-House Counsel – S-3 Registered Securities – Duke Energy Corp.

EX-5.1 3 a11-29715_4ex5d1.htm EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION

550 S. Tryon Street

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

November 17, 2011

Duke Energy Corporation

550 S. Tryon Street

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

Re: Duke Energy Corporation $500 million 2.15% Senior Notes due 2016

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Duke Energy
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and in such capacity have
acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the public offering of $500
million aggregate principal amount of the Company153s 2.15% Senior Notes due 2016
(the “Securities”). The Securities are to be issued pursuant to an Indenture,
dated as of June 3, 2008 (the “Original Indenture”), by and between the Company
and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (the “Trustee”),
as amended and supplemented by various supplemental indentures thereto,
including the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 17, 2011,
between the Company and the Trustee, relating to the Securities (the
“Supplemental Indenture”) (the Original Indenture, as amended and supplemented,
being referred to as the “Indenture”). On November 14, 2011, the Company entered
into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with BNP Paribas
Securities Corp., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and Morgan Stanley &
Co. LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the
“Underwriters”), relating to the sale by the Company to the Underwriters of the
Securities.

This opinion is being delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item
601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

I am a member of the bar in the State of North Carolina and my opinions set
forth herein are limited to Delaware corporate law and the laws of the State of
New York and the federal laws of the United States that, in my experience, are
normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated above and, to the
extent that judicial or regulatory orders or decrees or consents, approvals,
licenses, authorizations, validations, filings, recordings or registrations with
governmental authorities are relevant, to those required under such laws (all of
the foregoing being referred to as “Opined on Law”). I do not express any
opinion with respect to the law of any jurisdiction other than Opined on Law or
as to the effect of any such non-opined law on the opinions herein stated. This
opinion is limited to the laws, including the rules and regulations, as in
effect on the date hereof, which laws are subject to change with possible
retroactive effect.

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In rendering the opinion set forth herein, I or attorneys under my
supervision (with whom I have consulted) have examined originals or copies,
certified or otherwise identified by my satisfaction, of:

(a) the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-169633) of the
Company relating to the Securities and other securities of the Company filed on
September 29, 2010, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”), allowing for delayed offerings pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities
Act and the information deemed to be a part of such registration statement as of
the date hereof pursuant to Rule 430B of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Securities Act (the “Rules and Regulations”) (such registration statement,
being hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”);

(b) the prospectus, dated September 29, 2010 relating to the offering of
securities of the Company, which forms a part of and is included in the
Registration Statement;

(c) the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated November 14, 2011, and the
prospectus, dated September 29, 2010, relating to the offering of the Securities
in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations;

(d) the prospectus supplement, dated November 14, 2011, and the prospectus,
dated September 29, 2010, relating to the offering of the Securities in the form
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

(e) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company,
dated as of April 3, 2006, as amended, as certified by the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware;

(f) the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company, effective as of February
26, 2008, as amended;

(g) an executed copy of the Original Indenture;

(h) the form of Supplemental Indenture;

(i) an executed copy of the Underwriting Agreement;

(j) certificates representing the Securities;

(k) the issuer free writing prospectus issued at or prior to 2:15 p.m.
(Eastern time) on November 14, 2011, which the Company was advised is the time
of the first contract of sale of the Securities, attached as Schedule C to the
Underwriting Agreement and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) of
the Securities Act and Section 5(e) of the Underwriting Agreement;

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(l) the Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, on Form T-1, of the Trustee;

(m) resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company, adopted on May 6,
2010, relating to the preparation and filing with the Commission of the
Registration Statement and the issuance of the Company153s securities; and

(n) the written consent of the Assistant Treasurer of the Company, dated as
of November 14, 2011.

I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have also
examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my
satisfaction, of such records of the Company and such agreements, certificates
and receipts of public officials, certificates of officers or other
representatives of the Company and others, and such other documents as I or
attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have deemed
necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth below.

In my examination, I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have
consulted) have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the
genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me
as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to
me as facsimile, electronic, certified, conformed, or photostatic copies, and
the authenticity of the originals of such documents. In making my examination of
executed documents or documents to be executed, I have assumed that the parties
thereto, other than the Company had or will have the power, corporate or
otherwise, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also
assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and
the execution and delivery by such parties of such documents, and, as to parties
other than the Company, the validity and binding effect on such parties. As to
any facts material to this opinion that I or attorneys under my supervision
(with whom I have consulted) did not independently establish or verify, we have
relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives
of the Company and others and of public officials.

The opinion set forth below is subject to the following further
qualifications, assumptions and limitations:

(i) the validity or enforcement of any agreements or instruments may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws affecting creditors153 rights generally and by general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law) and

(ii) I do not express any opinion as to the applicability or effect of any
fraudulent transfer, preference or similar law on any agreements or instruments
or any transactions contemplated thereby.

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Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations, qualifications,
exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, I am of the opinion that the
Securities have been duly authorized and executed by the Company, and that when
duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company
against payment therefore in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting
Agreement and the Indenture, the Securities will constitute valid and binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as Exhibit
5.1 to the Registration Statement through incorporation by reference of a
current report on Form 8-K. I also hereby consent to the use of my name under
the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus which forms a part of the
Registration Statement. In giving this consent, I do not thereby admit that I am
within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. This
opinion is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated,
and I disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the
facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable laws.

	Very truly yours,
	/s/ Robert T. Lucas III, Esq.
	Deputy General Counsel,
	Assistant Secretary

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