Duke Energy Indiana’s first large-scale solar plant enters service

Duke Energy Indiana’s first large-scale solar plant, located at Naval Support Activity Crane near Bloomington, Indiana, went into commercial service, providing clean energy to customers this week.

The plant can generate 17 megawatts (MW) of alternating current power and at full capacity can supply electricity for up to 2,700 average homes.

“This is a landmark development in renewable energy for our company and our customers,” Duke Energy Indiana President Melody Birmingham-Byrd said. “It demonstrates our continuing commitment to include renewable energy, such as solar, wind and hydro, in our diversified portfolio of generation sources.”

The plant uses approximately 76,000 solar panels to provide power to customers in the 69 counties in its service territory. The plant is located on 145 acres of land Duke Energy leased from the Department of the Navy.

“This helps provide our customers with a more balanced energy mix using both traditional fuel sources and renewable energy sources,” Birmingham-Byrd said. “We are pleased to partner with the Navy on a project that will deliver clean energy to Indiana customers, and improved energy security for the Navy.”

The plant helped the company to meet its goal of acquiring one gigawatt of renewable energy by the end of 2015.

In total, Duke Energy Indiana provides about 6,800 MW of owned generating capacity to its 810,000 customers.