Duke Energy gets approval for EV program in North Carolina

Duke Energy got approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) for an electric vehicle (EV) pilot program for Duke Energy in North Carolina.

The $25 million pilot program calls for Duke Energy to install, own and operate 160 public Level 2 charging stations at public destinations throughout the state. The company will collect utilization and other load characteristics to understand potential grid and utility impacts. It will also install up to 80 Level 2 charging stations for residents of multifamily dwellings — providing easy access to EV charging for non-homeowners.

Further, Duke will install, own and operate 40 publicly accessible direct current fast charging stations throughout North Carolina. It will also help replace 30 older diesel school buses with zero-emission school buses in public school transportation systems. Up to $215,000 per bus will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis to school districts.

“This pilot will support electric vehicle adoption in North Carolina, which can drive economic and environmental benefits in the state. It also allows Duke Energy to move forward to expand access to charging infrastructure that will benefit all customers,” Lang Reynolds, director, Electrification Strategy at Duke, said.

The NCUC approval comes one month after the Public Service Commission of South Carolina approved Duke’s $10 million EV charging pilot in South Carolina.