North Carolina's largest battery system now operating at Duke Energy substation

Additional Duke Energy projects

In Haywood County, the company installed a solar plus storage microgrid on top of Mount Sterling at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The project included the removal of a single overhead electric line, which resulted in 13 acres of park land returned to its natural state. This facility continues to serve a remote emergency communications tower in a less expensive and more reliable way.

"We have a long history of testing new battery technologies with a number of battery manufacturers," added De May. "Our research work is now paying off with larger projects that will provide customers more reliable service with lower overall emissions."

In Madison County in the town of Hot Springs, the company is planning a 4-MW lithium-ion battery system that will help improve electric reliability for the town, along with providing services to the overall electric system.

In South Carolina, Duke Energy is planning a 5-MW lithium-ion battery at the Anderson County Civic Center in Anderson County. The battery will provide backup power at the facility, which serves as a critical shelter for emergency service agencies. As a grid asset, the battery will also provide benefits to the bulk power system to enhance reliability.

The battery storage project is just one of many Duke Energy investments in the region. The company recently finished construction of the $817 million Asheville Combined Cycle Station, which became fully operational April 5, 2020. The new station replaced a 344-megawatt, two-unit coal plant at the Asheville site, which retired on Jan. 29, 2020.

The company also recently announced a 5-MW solar facility for the town of Woodfin in Buncombe County.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2020 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Randy Wheeless
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_RandyW

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SOURCE Duke Energy