Duke Energy Provides Resource Plan Update to South Carolina Regulators that Reflects State’s Booming Population
Duke Energy has updated the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSCSC) on the requirement of new energy generation resources owing to the increased customer demands to help South Carolina advance in both economic development and the clean energy transition.
“We’re already projecting eight times the load growth we anticipated just two years ago,” said Mike Callahan, Duke Energy’s South Carolina president. “To meet customer needs, we’re proposing more of nearly every resource available to us as we maintain our diverse, ‘all of the above’ approach to maintain reliability and affordability.”
Duke Energy’s Carolinas Resource Plan is the company’s proposed roadmap for delivering a path to cleaner energy without compromising grid reliability, energy affordability or the energy demands of a growing region.
The company’s plan has not only adjusted for a higher growth outlook by proposing a combined cycle gas plant to be built in South Carolina but also included the potential of wind generation off the North Carolina coast, depending on the required regulatory approvals and support.
The plan balances traditional resources like advanced nuclear, natural gas and pumped hydro storage with an increased amount of complementary renewables to help deliver fuel-free energy, along with aggressive energy efficiency and demand side management programs to target peak energy use reduction of nearly 2.8 GW by 2038.
The PSCSC has approved Duke Energy’s proposal to provide additional information and reset the previously approved regulatory schedule for the process involving the evaluation of testimony and data from the company, other parties to the proceeding and customers. The new schedule plans for a hearing in mid-September to evaluate the information and the PSCSC will order a path forward in November 2024.
