Duke Energy Florida Plans For 3 More Solar Plants to Generate 195 Megawatts of Power

Duke Energy Florida (DEF) recently announced the locations of its newest universal solar power plants to benefit Florida customers.

• The Lake Placid Solar Power Plant will be built on 380 acres in Highlands County. The 45-megawatt (MW) plant will consist of approximately 180,000 tracking solar panels. The solar power plant is expected to be in service in December 2019 and will be owned, operated and maintained by DEF. DEF acquired the development rights to the project from EDF Renewables, and DEF is responsible for all remaining development activities, including construction.
• The Trenton Solar Power Plant will occupy about 580 acres in Gilchrist County. The 74.9-MW plant will consist of approximately 280,000 tracking solar panels, which will produce enough carbon-free energy to power over 23,000 average homes at peak production. It is expected to be in service in December 2019. The solar power plant will be owned, operated and maintained by DEF. DEF acquired the development rights to the project from Southeast Solar & Power LLC, and DEF is responsible for all remaining development activities, including construction.
• The DeBary Solar Power Plant will be built on about 445 acres in Volusia County. The 74.5-MW plant will consist of approximately 300,000 fixed-tilt solar panels, which will produce enough carbon-free energy to power over 20,000 average homes at peak production. It is expected to be in service in March 2020. The solar power plant will be developed, owned, operated and maintained by DEF. DEF developed the project on company-owned land in the city of DeBary.

Accoring to DEF, the three solar power plants are expected to eliminate nearly 800 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions in Florida each year upon commercial operation. DEF is investing an estimated $1 billion to construct or acquire a total of 700 MW of cost-effective solar power facilities through 2022.

DEF believes that by buying existing solar projects and using a competitive process to select solar contractors, solar panels and project material suppliers, the company's solar power plants bring the greatest amount of dependable renewable energy online for customers in the most efficient and economical way while creating more jobs in the solar and energy-related markets.

Duke’s Solar Strategy

Earlier this month, Florida A&M University’s board of trustees approved a partnership with DEF to construct a solar facility. The new solar plant is expected to add nearly 75 megawatts of energy to the grid at the university’s Brooksville Agricultural and Environmental Research Station (BAERS).

The board signed off on a 25-year lease agreement with DEF. It includes a due diligence period for site investigation and permitting before construction starts on the solar project, the university says.

Over the next decade, the company will also make innovative and targeted investments in additional solar power plants, battery storage technology, shared solar, transportation electrification and a modernized power grid to help meet customers' needs for diverse, reliable energy solutions.

The 4th Annual Environmental Leader & Energy Manager Conference takes place May 13 – 15, 2019 in Denver. Learn more here.