Duke Energy Progress Continues To Be A Shining Star For Solar Power

• Company ranked No. 4 in 2018 for connecting solar power to its energy grid
• Lands in the Top 10 for the seventh straight year
• Continues to drive solar adoption in the region

Duke Energy Progress (DEP) continues to be one of the leading solar utilities in the nation.

In the Top 10 utility solar lists compiled by the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), Duke Energy Progress was ranked fourth among all utility companies for bringing on new solar capacity during 2018. It is the seventh straight year Duke Energy Progress has been ranked in the Top 10 nationwide.

"Duke Energy customers are benefiting from the growth and expansion of solar generation in the region," said Rob Caldwell, senior vice president and president of Duke Energy Renewables & Business Development. “We expect to continue to spur more renewable energy development in the regions we serve in the years to come.”

DEP's 436 megawatts of owned and purchased capacity for customers in 2018 helped it land the No. 4 spot in the nation. Overall, North Carolina is second in the nation for installed solar capacity.

“The utilities in the Top 10 are truly spearheading the progress we’ve seen in the electric sector this past year,” said Julia Hamm, SEPA’s president and CEO. “It goes beyond just solar – they are implementing replicable business models and paving the way to a clean and modern energy future, something that won’t be possible without utilities’ leadership and cooperation.”

The rankings were part of SEPA’s Utility Solar Market Snapshot – collecting figures from more than 500 utilities across the country on solar connected to the grid in 2018.

The full Top 10 listings are available online here (https://sepapower.org/2019-top-10-winners/).

Duke Energy is one of the nation's leading renewable energy companies and has invested more than $6Bn in renewable energy. The company operates more than 20 wind facilities and 60 solar facilities in over 20 states around the nation.

Duke Energy already has more than 3,000 MW of solar capacity connected to its grid in the Carolinas, which includes those owned by Duke Energy and those owned by other companies. That output could power the energy needs of more than a half million homes.