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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Duke Energy Corporation (Charlotte, North Carolina) recently filed an updated resource plan for its North and South Carolina service areas. The plan collectively envisions a variety of new power generation, including nuclear, natural gas, solar and storage, to meet strong economic growth in the two states and new federal and state policy changes.
The 2025 plan builds on the 2023 Carolinas Resource Plan approved by both states' regulators in 2024. Since that time, Duke has filed plans with regulators to combine the electric utilities in each state, Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and Duke Energy Progress (DEP). Later this year, Duke will also file a resource plan update with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina, incorporating information from the new plan.
The company said the plan "reflects rising electricity demand across the Carolinas at an unprecedented pace ... Across the Carolinas, customer energy needs over the next 15 years are expected to grow at eight times the growth rate of the prior 15 years." That projected increase in energy use is more than double the growth forecasted when the 2023 Carolinas Resource Plan was initially filed.
In addition, "recent energy legislation in both states emphasizes reliability, while changes in federal regulations and tax credits support advanced nuclear and battery storage and provide flexibility for existing coal and new natural gas generation."
The North Carolina Utilities Commission will hold hearings on the resource plan in 2026 (dates are still to be determined) and issue an order by December 31, 2026.
The plan includes evaluating new nuclear power generation; five combined combined-cycle and seven combustion-turbine natural gas units; 4,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power by 2034: and expanded battery storage to 5,600 MW by 2024. The company also said it is targeting potential two- to-four-year extensions of coal units that have "dual-fuel" capability.
Nuclear power efforts include a proposed small modular reactor (SMR) unit at a gas-fired plant in Belews Creek, North Carolina, which is targeting a potential in service date in 2037, according to the press release on the new resource plan. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for the project report.
In addition, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) earlier this year approved Duke's application to relicense the 2.5-gigawatt (GW) Oconee nuclear plant in Seneca, South Carolina, Duke's largest nuclear facility, allowing two of the plant's three units to operate into 2053 and the third unit to operate into July 2054. Duke also has applied to extend the license at its Robinson Nuclear Plant in Hartsville, South Carolina.
In terms of natural gas-fired generation, the five combined-cycle units that Duke aims to add include two at the Roxboro Power Station in Person County, North Carolina, while the addition of combustion turbine units includes two at its Marshall Energy Complex in Catawba County, North Carolina. Subscribers can read more information on the combined-cycle and combustion-turbine projects.
Duke also identified solar projects as part of its execution plan, expecting to place the 80-MW Red Bud photovoltaic (PV) solar plant in Castalia, North Carolina in service by the end of the year. Subscribers can read more information in the related project report.
Duke noted wind power is "not an economically viable resource for customers through 2040 but will be reassessed at next plan update."
The company also discussed "limited near-term development" of a second power block at its Bad Creek pumped-storage hydropower facility in South Carolina, "to preserve optionality and take advantage of tax credits." Deferring the in-service target from 2034 to 2040 will help "reduce grid upgrade costs and accelerate in-service dates for crucial near-term projects including solar under development, natural gas, hydropower and batteries."
Duke recently applied to extend the life of the Bad Creek hydro plant by another 50 years. Subscribers can click here for the plant profile.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project and Plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of plant profiles.
Industrial Info is tracking 67 Power Industry capital projects involving Duke Energy in the Carolinas, with a total investment value of about $14.6 billion. Subscribers can click here for the project reports.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The 2025 plan builds on the 2023 Carolinas Resource Plan approved by both states' regulators in 2024. Since that time, Duke has filed plans with regulators to combine the electric utilities in each state, Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and Duke Energy Progress (DEP). Later this year, Duke will also file a resource plan update with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina, incorporating information from the new plan.
The company said the plan "reflects rising electricity demand across the Carolinas at an unprecedented pace ... Across the Carolinas, customer energy needs over the next 15 years are expected to grow at eight times the growth rate of the prior 15 years." That projected increase in energy use is more than double the growth forecasted when the 2023 Carolinas Resource Plan was initially filed.
In addition, "recent energy legislation in both states emphasizes reliability, while changes in federal regulations and tax credits support advanced nuclear and battery storage and provide flexibility for existing coal and new natural gas generation."
The North Carolina Utilities Commission will hold hearings on the resource plan in 2026 (dates are still to be determined) and issue an order by December 31, 2026.
The plan includes evaluating new nuclear power generation; five combined combined-cycle and seven combustion-turbine natural gas units; 4,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power by 2034: and expanded battery storage to 5,600 MW by 2024. The company also said it is targeting potential two- to-four-year extensions of coal units that have "dual-fuel" capability.
Nuclear power efforts include a proposed small modular reactor (SMR) unit at a gas-fired plant in Belews Creek, North Carolina, which is targeting a potential in service date in 2037, according to the press release on the new resource plan. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for the project report.
In addition, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) earlier this year approved Duke's application to relicense the 2.5-gigawatt (GW) Oconee nuclear plant in Seneca, South Carolina, Duke's largest nuclear facility, allowing two of the plant's three units to operate into 2053 and the third unit to operate into July 2054. Duke also has applied to extend the license at its Robinson Nuclear Plant in Hartsville, South Carolina.
In terms of natural gas-fired generation, the five combined-cycle units that Duke aims to add include two at the Roxboro Power Station in Person County, North Carolina, while the addition of combustion turbine units includes two at its Marshall Energy Complex in Catawba County, North Carolina. Subscribers can read more information on the combined-cycle and combustion-turbine projects.
Duke also identified solar projects as part of its execution plan, expecting to place the 80-MW Red Bud photovoltaic (PV) solar plant in Castalia, North Carolina in service by the end of the year. Subscribers can read more information in the related project report.
Duke noted wind power is "not an economically viable resource for customers through 2040 but will be reassessed at next plan update."
The company also discussed "limited near-term development" of a second power block at its Bad Creek pumped-storage hydropower facility in South Carolina, "to preserve optionality and take advantage of tax credits." Deferring the in-service target from 2034 to 2040 will help "reduce grid upgrade costs and accelerate in-service dates for crucial near-term projects including solar under development, natural gas, hydropower and batteries."
Duke recently applied to extend the life of the Bad Creek hydro plant by another 50 years. Subscribers can click here for the plant profile.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project and Plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of plant profiles.
Industrial Info is tracking 67 Power Industry capital projects involving Duke Energy in the Carolinas, with a total investment value of about $14.6 billion. Subscribers can click here for the project reports.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
