Duke Energy Florida is scaling America’s clean energy solutions and has proposed four new utility-scale solar sites with a total generating capacity of 300 megawatts (MW).
The plan to expand the southern state’s renewable energy portfolio was announced on Tuesday, November 10, as electricity demand continues to grow across the state.
The American energy company has submitted plans to the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) for the construction of the four solar plants, which are expected to be operational in mid-2028. Together, the projects will add 300 MW of zero-emission power generation to Florida’s electric grid.
Four solar locations throughout Florida
Planned installations include solar energy sites in Orange and Sumter counties, with a tentative online date of June 2028.
Orange County facilities include Nova Renewable Energy Center, Bull Creek Renewable Energy Center and Wewahootee Renewable Energy Center. Construction of the former two is expected to begin early next year. Construction on the third building is scheduled to begin in May 2027.
The Hogeye Renewable Energy Center is the only one planned in Sumter County.
Duke Energy Florida says the new projects are part of its long-term strategy to meet increasing electricity demand while increasing the share of renewable energy in the power generation mix.
“Our strategy focuses on providing clean energy while maintaining reliable and affordable service for our customers,” Duke Energy Florida State President Melissa Seixas said in a statement.
Each facility will generate electricity using photovoltaic solar panels connected to Duke Energy Florida’s transmission grid. Once operational, the projects will collectively generate enough renewable energy to bolster the utility’s growing solar portfolio.
However, the company has not yet announced the individual capacity of the four proposed solar sites.
Expansion of clean energy
The latest filing is part of the company’s plan to expand the state’s battery system to store excess energy when power demand is low.
With these new systems, the company hopes to be able to provide customers with clean solar energy even during times without sunlight.
“These solar energy sites are just one example of how we are planning for the future and strengthening our system to continue to provide safe, reliable energy at the lowest possible price for years to come,” Seixas added.
It plans to build more than 1 gigawatt of battery storage over the next decade, the company said in a statement, addressing the long-term impact of the planned solar power plant sites.
The utility noted that the four projects are also expected to save customers about $1 billion through lower fuel costs over their lifetimes, although the proposal’s main focus is adding new renewable energy generation capacity to Florida’s electric grid.
The new plants would not only provide low-cost fuel to power America’s electric grid, but also provide U.S. households with zero-emission energy. According to the company, each solar energy site saves approximately 1.1 million cubic feet of natural gas, 12,000 barrels of heating oil and 9,000 tons of coal annually.
The company currently owns, operates and maintains 25 solar energy sites that contribute 1,850 MW to the grid. Each energy site has the capacity to supply almost 15,000 households with electricity, it said.
