Duke Energy completes 74.9 MW solar facility in Hardee County

Duke Energy solar facility in Hardee County

Duke Energy has completed a new 74.9 MW solar facility in Hardee County. With this, Duke Energy has delivered on its commitment to provide 700 MW of clean energy to Florida customers.

The Charlie Creek Solar Power Plant is the last of 10 solar sites that are part of the company’s multi-year plan on file with the Florida Public Service Commission to deliver 700 MW of solar generation from 2018 through 2022.

“By 2024, we plan to provide 1,500 MW of solar generation as part of our ongoing strategy to offer cleaner, smarter energy solutions that will benefit all Florida customers,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president.

The 10 solar power plants in Florida

Hamilton (completed December 2018) in Hamilton County

Trenton (completed December 2019) in Gilchrist County

Columbia (completed March 2020) in Columbia County

DeBary (completed June 2020) in Volusia County

Twin Rivers (completed March 2021) in Hamilton County

Santa Fe (completed March 2021) in Columbia County

Duette (completed November 2021) in Manatee County

Lake Placid (completed December 2021) in Highlands County

Sandy Creek (completed May 2022) in Bay County

Charlie Creek (completed August 2022) in Hardee County

Solar generation commitment

With a combined investment of more than $2 billion, Duke Energy Florida’s solar generation portfolio will include 25 grid-tied solar power plants, which will provide about 1,500 MW of emission-free generation from approximately 5 million solar panels by 2024.

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 10,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 1.9 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.