Regulators place conditions on Duke solar program


Protective Relay Training - Basic

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 12 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$699
Coupon Price:
$599
Reserve Your Seat Today
North Carolina regulators have attached conditions to their approval of Duke Energy CarolinasÂ’ rooftop solar-energy initiative, and those restrictions could delay the programÂ’s launch, Duke says.

The N.C. Utilities Commission has approved the proposed $50 million program, which would generate about 10 megawatts of solar energy from panels the utility would own atop some customersÂ’ homes or businesses.

But spokeswoman Paige Sheehan says the company must determine the impact of the conditions the commission has imposed before it sets a start date for the program.

The key restriction included in the commissionÂ’s approval is a limitation on the amount of money Duke can recover under the stateÂ’s renewable-energy portfolio standards. That law sets minimum requirements for renewable-energy production in the state. But it also caps the amount of money a utility is required to spend on renewable sources of energy. Lawmakers added that provision to the 2007 legislation to protect utility customers from high power bills resulting from a utilityÂ’s investment in renewable power. Such energy is typically more expensive than power generated from traditional sources.

The commissionÂ’s Public Staff and others had questioned whether DukeÂ’s program could push the company to that cost limit long before it reached the annual goals for generating renewable energy.

Duke concedes the rooftop program will be more expensive than other solar alternatives. For instance, Duke expects to get more power at a lower cost from its plan to buy energy for resale from a solar farm Sun Edison is to build in Davidson County by 2011. But Duke contends there are sound public-policy reasons for accepting the more expensive program.

Sheehan says Duke remains committed to the rooftop solar initiative. And she says the delay to review the impact of the commissionÂ’s conditions will be short.

Related News

Utilities commission changes community choice exit fees; what happens now in San Diego?

CPUC Exit Fee Increase for CCAs adjusts the PCIA, affecting utilities, San Diego ratepayers, renewable…
View more

U.S. offshore wind power about to soar

US Offshore Wind Lease Sales signal soaring renewable energy growth, drawing oil and gas developers,…
View more

Experts Advise Against Cutting Quebec's Energy Exports Amid U.S. Tariff War

Quebec Hydropower Export Retaliation examines using electricity exports to counter U.S. tariffs amid Canada-U.S. trade…
View more

Fuel Cell Electric Buses Coming to Mississauga

Mississauga Fuel Cell Electric Buses advance zero-emission public transit, leveraging hydrogen fuel cells, green hydrogen…
View more

Parsing Ontario's electricity cost allocation

Ontario Global Adjustment and ICI balance hydro rates, renewable cost shift, and peak demand. Class…
View more

West Coast consumers won't benefit if Trump privatizes the electrical grid

BPA Privatization would sell the Bonneville Power Administration's transmission lines, raising FERC-regulated grid rates for…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Live Online & In-person Group Training

Advantages To Instructor-Led Training – Instructor-Led Course, Customized Training, Multiple Locations, Economical, CEU Credits, Course Discounts.

Request For Quotation

Whether you would prefer Live Online or In-Person instruction, our electrical training courses can be tailored to meet your company's specific requirements and delivered to your employees in one location or at various locations.