Duke Energy begins construction of nearly 100-MW of new solar capacity in North Carolina
This
week, Duke Energy announced it has begun construction on two major solar
projects in North Carolina.
The
projects are the 69-MW Maiden Creek solar facility, located in the Catawba
County town of Maiden and the 25-MW Gaston solar facility located in the Gaston
County town of Bessemer City.
The projects were selected as part of a competitive bidding
process that was established from the state’s 2017’s solar legislation. The
projects were among the most cost-effective and will deliver clean solar energy
at the lowest possible cost, according to Duke.
Together, the projects will feature about 400,000 solar panels and
will bring 380 jobs to the sites at peak construction, said Duke. Both projects
are scheduled to come online by the end of this year.
On-site workers will fluctuate throughout the construction process,
as Duke Energy will ensure safe work practices. The company will also provide
proper traffic management support.
Under North Carolina’s Competitive Procurement for Renewable
Energy, proposed projects must be built where there is a need for energy
capacity on the Duke Energy system in North Carolina or South Carolina. The
bids can come from any company, including Duke Energy, and can be in the form
of power purchase agreements (PPA), utility self-developed facilities or
utility asset acquisitions.
“Catawba County applauds Duke Energy’s efforts in partnering with
the private sector to increase the use of cost-effective renewable energy,”
said Randy Isenhower, chair, Catawba County Board of Commissioners. “This
project will bring jobs to our community during construction and generate clean
energy for years to come.”
“Building more solar supports Duke Energy’s strategy of lowering
carbon emissions as we strive to meet our 2050 net-zero carbon goal,” said
Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “We participated in a
rigorous bidding process – competing with other companies to bring more
renewable energy to the state.”
