ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.,
Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/
-- Duke Energy Florida customers are benefitting from
approximately 22,000 solar panels that are generating clean,
renewable energy in the Sunshine State.
The company's newest solar power plant, located on 22 acres in
Taylor County, is the size of 17
football fields and is producing 5 megawatts of carbon-free energy.
One megawatt of universal solar is equivalent to about 200 typical
residential rooftop systems. The number varies by state and
conditions.
School representatives, local students, elected officials, and
community leaders, will join Duke Energy at a commemorative ribbon
cutting and solar panel signing ceremony Oct. 19 to celebrate the opening.
"We are proud of the investments we're making in Florida's solar development," said
Alex Glenn, Duke Energy state
president – Florida. "With the
cost of solar energy decreasing and panel efficiency advancing,
building solar power plants like Perry is part of our ongoing strategy to offer
cleaner, smarter energy solutions that customers value."
The Perry Solar Facility is the second in a strategic,
long-range plan to install 35 megawatts of solar energy by 2018 and
up to 500 megawatts of solar energy in the state by 2024, helping
ensure residents have increasingly clean and diverse power
sources.
Duke Energy Florida's Osceola Solar Facility began operating in
May, providing nearly 4 megawatts of solar energy through 15,000
panels.
Solar projects, such as the Perry and Osceola facilities, enable the company to
efficiently bring the greatest amount of renewable energy on line
for customers in the most economical way.
Earlier this year, the company also unveiled a 5-megawatt solar
power plant in the shape of a "not-so-hidden-Mickey" to meet the
energy needs of Walt Disney World Resort and its customers through
an agreement with the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
In addition to building universal solar in the Sunshine State,
Duke Energy Florida is helping more than 90 residential and
business customers per month install private solar on their
property.
In the past five years, the number of customers who have
interconnected private solar has increased by 400 percent. The
company has also established a renewables service center to make it
easier for customers to interconnect and is researching various
community solar programs that offer all of Duke Energy's customers
the opportunity to support more solar generation in Florida.
Over the past eight years, Duke Energy has invested more than
$4 billion in wind and solar
facilities in 12 states.
News editors
Construction and images of other Duke Energy solar projects are
available upon request.
About Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida owns and
operates a diverse generation mix, including renewables, providing
about 9,100 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately
1.7 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area.
With its Florida regional
headquarters located in St. Petersburg,
Fla., Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power
holding companies in the United
States. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately
7.4 million electric customers located in six states in the
Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately
24 million people. Its Commercial Portfolio and International
business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets
in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio
of renewable energy assets in the United
States.
Headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index company
traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More
information about the company is available at
duke-energy.com.
The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for
journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and
videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online
destination for stories about remarkable people, innovations, and
community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into
the past and insights into the future of energy.
Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and
Facebook.
Contact: Peveeta Persaud
Office: 727.820.5592
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_PeveetaP
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SOURCE Duke Energy