Duke Energy proposes four new solar sites in Central Florida to save $1 billion

Duke Energy Florida has proposed building four new solar energy sites in Central Florida, including Orange County, aiming to save customers about $1 billion over the sites' operating lifetimes, WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando reported.

The company said each site could avoid roughly $250 million in fuel costs over approximately 30 years by reducing reliance on natural gas, oil, and other fuels. The combined capacity of the new sites would be 300 megawatts.

Construction is expected to start in 2027, with service tentatively scheduled to begin by June 2028, pending approval from the Florida Public Service Commission.

Duke Energy currently operates 25 solar sites in Florida with a total capacity of 1,850 megawatts. Federal production tax credits also help lower customer bills by at least $2.50 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours used, with the company transferring about $75 million in these credits to customers annually.

The company did not specify how much an individual customer’s bill would decrease due to the new projects, but the overall savings are expected to grow as more solar sites come online.