Duke Energy Progress continues to be a shining star for solar power

- Company ranked No. 4 in 2018 for connecting solar power to its energy grid

- Lands in the Top 10 for the seventh straight year

- Continues to drive solar adoption in the region

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Jun 10, 2019, 08:30 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Progress (DEP) continues to be one of the leading solar utilities in the nation.

In the Top 10 utility solar lists compiled by the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), Duke Energy Progress was ranked fourth among all utility companies for bringing on new solar capacity during 2018. It is the seventh straight year Duke Energy Progress has been ranked in the Top 10 nationwide.

Duke Energy continues to be a leader in solar energy -- in the Carolinas and around the nation. Duke Energy Progress, serving both North Carolina and South Carolina, has been among the Top 10 utilities for installing solar power for seven straight years.

"Duke Energy customers are benefiting from the growth and expansion of solar generation in the region," said Rob Caldwell, senior vice president and president of Duke Energy Renewables & Business Development. "We expect to continue to spur more renewable energy development in the regions we serve in the years to come."

DEP's 436 megawatts of owned and purchased capacity for customers in 2018 helped it land the No. 4 spot in the nation. Overall, North Carolina is second in the nation for installed solar capacity.

"The utilities in the Top 10 are truly spearheading the progress we've seen in the electric sector this past year," said Julia Hamm, SEPA's president and CEO. "It goes beyond just solar – they are implementing replicable business models and paving the way to a clean and modern energy future, something that won't be possible without utilities' leadership and cooperation."

The rankings were part of SEPA's Utility Solar Market Snapshot – collecting figures from more than 500 utilities across the country on solar connected to the grid in 2018.

The full Top 10 listings are available online here.

Duke Energy is one of the nation's leading renewable energy companies and has invested more than $6 billion in renewable energy. The company operates more than 20 wind facilities and 60 solar facilities in over 20 states around the nation.

Duke Energy already has more than 3,000 MW of solar capacity connected to its grid in the Carolinas, which includes those owned by Duke Energy and those owned by other companies. That output could power the energy needs of more than a half million homes.

About SEPA
The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) is an educational nonprofit working to facilitate the electric power industry's smart transition to a clean and modern energy future through education, research, standards and collaboration. SEPA offers a range of research initiatives and resources, as well as conferences, educational events, advisory services and professional networking opportunities. SEPA is founder and co-sponsor of Solar Power International (now North American Smart Energy Week) and winner of the Keystone Policy Center's 2016 Leadership in Energy Award. For more information, visit www.sepapower.org.

About Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2019 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Randy Wheeless
Office: 704.382.8379
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_RandyW

SOURCE Duke Energy