North Carolina

The Consumer-Centric Utility

Empowering Consumers while Managing Risk and Optimizing Assets

Electric utilities do not simply sell a commodity. They sell safe, affordable, reliable and clean electric service. The “Consumer-Centric Utility” business model provides a viable framework for utilities while enabling new products and services that meet growing consumer expectations.

Duke Energy to Build Two Major Solar Projects in North Carolina Totaling 75 MW

Duke Energy developed a proposal for two solar projects in North Carolina that will increase solar capacity in the state. Pending approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC), the company will build two projects that will total more than 75 MW. The 60-MW Monroe Solar Facility will be designed and built by Strata Solar. Crowder Construction will serve as the project EPC lead for the 15.4-MW Mocksville Solar Facility.

Duke Energy Renewables Acquires 20-MW Shawboro Solar Project from Ecoplexus

Duke Energy Renewables acquired a 20-MW solar power project in Shawboro, N.C., from Ecoplexus Inc., lead developer of the project. The energy generated from the facility is enough to power about 4,000 homes and will be sold to Dominion NC Power through a 15-year agreement. Swinerton Renewable Energy will build the facility. The project is targeted for completion by year-end.

The Babcock & Wilcox Company Board of Directors Approves Spin-Off of Power Generation Business

The Babcock & Wilcox board of directors approved the spin-off of the power generation business creating a new public company. The power generation business will be named Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, and operate as Babcock & Wilcox. It will be headquartered in Charlotte, N.C. The remaining company will change its name to BWX Technologies on the date of the spin-off and will be headquartered in Lynchburg, Va. 

Duke Energy to Build Fully Lined Coal Ash Landfills at Dan River And Sutton Plants

Duke Energy plans to submit permits to construct fully lined on-site landfills at the Dan River Steam Station in Eden, N.C., and the Sutton Plant in Wilmington, N.C. The landfills will be located on plant property and will provide a permanent storage solution for more than 6 million tons of coal ash at the two sites. The projects will also have contingency capacity for additional excavation at the sites, if needed. The proposed landfills are in addition to off-site solutions that Landfills at each site will feature multiple layers of synthetic and natural barriers.

Duke Energy Acquires Halifax Solar Project in Eastern North Carolina

Duke Energy Renewables (Duke) acquired the Halifax Solar Power Project, a 20-MW solar project in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., from Geenex and ET Solar Energy Corp. Duke will own and operate the site. The project is located in Dominion North Carolina Power's service territory, and the energy generated from the solar site will be sold through a 15-year agreement with the utility. The system employs 866 AE 3TL string inverters of 23.2KW AC capacity each and has about 100,000 ET Solar and Chint solar modules.

NTE Carolinas Signs Long-Term Power Purchase Agreement with Concord, N.C.

NTE Carolinas entered into a long-term PPA with the City of Concord, North Carolina. Under the terms of the agreement, NTE's Kings Mountain Energy Center will provide Concord with electric generation services for an initial 20-year term. In July 2014, NTE secured an equity investment for its three natural gas-fired power plants, including the Kings Mountain Energy Center, from Capital Dynamics and Wattage Finance. Construction of the facility is anticipated to begin in the second-quarter 2015, and commercial operation is scheduled to begin in the first-quarter 2018.

Digest (December 2014)

NRG Energy and MGM Resorts International completed installation of the world's largest rooftop solar array on a convention center;

Southern California Edison on November 5 announced the largest purchase of grid-connected energy storage in U.S. history. NRG Energy acquired Pure Energies Group; Duke Energy Progress filed with FERC for approval to purchase $1.2 billion in generating assets;

The U.S. Department of Energy authorized Bechtel to resume engineering work at a facility that will treat some of the nation's liquid radioactive waste; Burns & McDonnell plans to develop a grid stability awareness system;

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the launch of New York's first energy management network operations center. And others...

DTE Biomass Dedicates Renewable Energy Facility in North Carolina

DTE Biomass Energy completed its 9.6-MW landfill gas-to-energy project at the Uwharrie Environmental Landfill in Mt. Gilead. Landfill gas at the site is used to generate renewable energy which is subsequently sold to Duke Energy Progress. The Uwharrie facility will more than double DTE Biomass' generation capacity in North Carolina, where it already operates six renewable energy projects.