DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS 2025 Request for Proposals for New Solar Resources

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (DEC) and Duke Energy Progress, LLC (DEP) are issuing a 2025 solar and solar paired with storage (SPWS) procurement program request for proposals to procure new solar photovoltaic generating facility resources and new solar photovoltaic paired with lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS). The RFP targets 1,700 megawatts (MW) of solar energy resources, including 900 MW of solar-only resources and 800 MW of solar paired with approximately 300 MW of BESS, with a minimum of 30% of the target (510 MW) in DEC and 30% in DEP. The RFP is specifically targeting procurement of 935 MW of Utility Ownership Track resources and 765 MW of Controllable PPA Track resources on a system-wide basis for facilities directly interconnected to the DEC or DEP transmission system in North Carolina or South Carolina.

Facilities must be at least 30 MWAC in DEC or 50 MWAC in DEP and must be placed in service after September 30, 2025, with capability to complete construction within three years following the contract phase. All facilities must demonstrate eligibility for federal clean electricity tax credits under Sections 45Y or 48E of the Internal Revenue Code. Bidders must provide comprehensive environmental due diligence documentation and address permitting status with focus on environmental matters. For SPWS facilities, the paired battery storage must be charged from either co-located solar generation or from the DEC or DEP power grid, with BESS capacity rated between 35-40% of the solar MWAC maximum export capacity.

The RFP includes a two-step evaluation process with Step 1 based on economic and non-economic criteria without System Upgrade cost estimates, and Step 2 incorporating interconnection information from the Resource Solicitation Cluster (RSC) Phase 1 studies. Early Selection is available for solar-only projects with fully executed Interconnection Agreements from legacy serial study processes that can achieve commercial operation by December 31, 2030. All Controllable PPA proposals must commit to sell 100% of renewable electrical energy, capacity, and all environmental and renewable attributes for either 15 years (SPWS) or 25 years (Solar-Only). Utility Ownership Track proposals may be submitted as Asset Transfer (developer sells fully developed project to Duke Energy) or Utility-Developed (DEC or DEP originates and develops the facility).

Key dates include Bid Window open date of August 15, 2025, with proposals due by September 30, 2025 at 12:00 PM EDT. Pre-solicitation bidder conference is scheduled for the week of August 11, 2025. Step 1 RFP evaluation and Early Selection evaluation are projected to complete by January 6, 2026, with step list projects invited to Step 2 by approximately January 6, 2026. Bid refresh is due March 6, 2026, with Phase 1 results and transmission evaluation to inform Finalists by April 28-May 13, 2026. Finalists are projected to be notified by May 14, 2026, followed by a 30-calendar day contracting period from May 15-June 15, 2026. Early Finalists will have a 30-calendar day contracting period from January 6-February 5, 2026.