Duke Energy Florida gets approval for new solar program

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) approved Duke Energy Florida’s Clean Energy Connection (CEC) program, which will provide customers with about 750 megawatts (MW) of solar power.

“The CEC program allows Duke’s customers to voluntarily choose whether they want to purchase some or–subject to availability–all of the energy they use from solar,” PSC Chairman Gary Clark said. “We found the program to be in the public interest because it encourages the development of renewable energy, lessens Florida’s reliance on fossil fuels, and decreases carbon emissions.”

Through this program, Duke Energy Florida customers can subscribe to kilowatt (kW) blocks of solar power for a fixed monthly subscription fee of $8.35 per kW block. The fee will help cover the solar power plants’ construction and operation costs and is included on a customer’s electric bill.

Also, participating customers will receive monthly bill credits based on their subscription size and the actual solar energy produced through the program. The bill credit reflects the estimated economic value of the program to DEF’s system. The bill credit rate will be 4.037 cents per kilowatt-hour for the first 36 months of program participation, and then the rate increases by approximately 1.5 percent every year.

The program also sets aside 26 MW for low-income customers who participate in government subsidy programs or DEF’s low-income energy efficiency program. It also sets aside 75 MW for local governments. The program is expected to open to residential and small business customers for enrollment in 2021. Duke Energy Florida serves about 1.8 million customers in Florida in the state.