Duke Energy Florida has announced plans to add nearly 300 megawatts of solar energy to the state’s electric grid by early 2027. The company submitted a filing to the Florida Public Service Commission outlining the development of four new solar sites in Columbia, Osceola, and Sumter counties.
The expansion is expected to save customers an estimated $1 billion over the service lifetimes of these sites. According to Duke Energy Florida, increasing solar capacity helps reduce reliance on fuel sources such as natural gas, which are direct pass-through costs for customers.
In addition to these savings, Duke Energy Florida transfers about $65 million annually in Inflation Reduction Act production tax credits to its customers. This reduces monthly bills by at least $2.50 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours used, with further reductions anticipated as more solar projects come online.
Each site will generate approximately 150 temporary construction jobs locally. Environmentally, at peak output each site is projected to offset around 1.1 million cubic feet of natural gas, 12,000 barrels of fuel oil, and 9,000 tons of coal every year.
“These solar energy sites will deliver real, tangible value for our customers,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “It’s all part of a larger strategy to diversify our generation fleet and make it more efficient and cost-effective for the people, businesses and communities we have the privilege of serving across Florida.”
The four new facilities—Jumper Creek Renewable Energy Center (Sumter County), Turnpike Renewable Energy Center (Osceola County), Lonesome Camp Renewable Energy Center (Osceola County), and Banner Renewable Energy Center (Columbia County)—are scheduled for completion between July 2026 and March 2027.
By the end of 2025, Duke Energy Florida expects to own and operate about 30 solar sites statewide with a combined capacity exceeding 1,700 megawatts. These latest projects represent the second phase in an agreement aiming for twelve new sites totaling 900 megawatts between 2025 and 2027; work on the first phase is already underway.
Looking ahead, Duke Energy Florida projects that its utility-scale solar generating capacity will surpass 6,100 megawatts by the end of 2033.
Duke Energy Florida supplies electricity to two million customers across a service area covering approximately 13,000 square miles in Florida. Its parent company Duke Energy serves over eight million electric customers across six states and owns nearly 55 gigawatts of energy capacity nationwide.
For more information about Duke Energy’s initiatives or ongoing projects visit duke-energy.com or their news center.
