Duke Energy Florida celebrates delivering on nearly 750-megawatt solar commitment in Florida

• All 10 of the company's Clean Energy Connection solar energy sites are now fully operational

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With all 10 of Duke Energy Florida's Clean Energy Connection solar energy sites now fully operational, the company is celebrating delivering on its commitment – part of a 2020 filing with the Florida Public Service Commission – to provide nearly 750 megawatts of solar generation in Florida from 2022 to 2024.

"Solar development is critical to maintaining a modern, diverse and resilient electric grid," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "I look forward to building on the important work we've done in recent years as we continue to upgrade our generation fleet, ensuring we are providing reliable, affordable energy for our customers and the communities we serve – now and in the future."  

At peak output, each 74.9-megawatt Clean Energy Connection solar site will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 23,000 homes, while displacing 1.2 million cubic feet of natural gas, 15,000 barrels of fuel oil and 12,000 tons of coal annually.

The 10 Clean Energy Connection solar sites also fostered – and continue to promote – economic development across the state, creating more than 1,500 temporary jobs during construction and contributing significant tax revenue to their respective counties.

The Clean Energy Connection solar sites are located throughout Florida, from Bay County down to Hardee County:

• Bay Ranch Renewable Energy Center in Bay County (completed in April 2023)
• Bay Trail Renewable Energy Center in Citrus County (completed in September 2022)
• County Line Renewable Energy Center in Gilchrist County (completed in August 2024)
• Falmouth Renewable Energy Center in Suwannee County (completed in June 2024)
• Fort Green Renewable Energy Center in Hardee County (completed in June 2022)
• Hardeetown Renewable Energy Center in Levy County (completed in April 2023)
• High Springs Renewable Energy Center in Alachua County (completed in April 2023)
• Hildreth Renewable Energy Center in Suwannee County (completed in April 2023)
• Mule Creek Renewable Energy Center in Bay County (completed in March 2024)
• Winquepin Renewable Energy Center in Madison County (completed in December 2024)

Additionally, customers can subscribe to support a portion of the solar energy produced by the Clean Energy Connection sites, earning credits toward their electricity bills without having to install or maintain their own equipment. The monthly subscription fee helps cover the capital and operating costs of the sites and is conveniently added to a customer's regular bill. For more information, please visit Duke Energy's Clean Energy Connection website.

The Clean Energy Connection sites are now a part of Duke Energy Florida's portfolio of more than 25 solar sites, which produce almost 1,500 megawatts of emission-free generation. An additional 12 new solar sites are planned between 2025 and 2027, adding another 900 megawatts of generation, and for the next 10 years, the company projects adding at least 450 megawatts of utility scale-solar energy per year.

Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.  

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. 

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.  

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition. 

Contact: Aly Raschid
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy