SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                 Date of report
               (Date of earliest event reported): January 7, 2004

                             DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

         NORTH CAROLINA                     1-4928               56-0205520
(State or Other Jurisdiction of      (Commission File No.)     (IRS Employer
         Incorporation)                                      Identification No.)

526 South Church Street
Charlotte, North Carolina                                           28201-1006
(Address of principal executive offices)                            (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 704-594-6200

                                   ----------



Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

      (c) Exhibits

            99 News Release dated January 7, 2004

Item 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition

      On  January  7,  2004,  Duke  Energy  Corporation  issued  a news  release
announcing estimates of its earnings for the full year 2003. A copy of this news
release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99. The information in Exhibit 99 is being
furnished pursuant to this Item 12.

                                    SIGNATURE

      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  Report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                      DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION

                                      By:   /s/ Keith G. Butler
                                          --------------------------------------
                                            Keith G. Butler
                                            Senior Vice President and Controller

Dated: January 7, 2004




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit                        Description
- -------                        -----------

  99               News Release dated January 7, 2004