NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) March 11, 2004--Standard&Poor's Rating Services said today that the closing of the grand jury investigation into Duke Power Co.'s regulatory reporting, without any penalties for the company, is a positive event for the credit quality of Duke Energy Corp. (BBB/Stable/A-2), although not significant enough to affect the ratings on the company. The closing of the investigation removes uncertainty surrounding any adverse effect on one of Duke Energy's most stable and material contributors of cash flow.