Duke Energy and data centers

Large-load tariff and rules

Status

Large-load tariff or rules proposed (2026-10-06)

Tariff

Large Load Tariff (settlement among Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, Public Staff and others)

Docket

E-7, Sub 1329 and E-2, Sub 1380, North Carolina Utilities Commission

What it says

The filed settlement would cover agreements executed on or after June 1, 2026 and set, per the tariff text, a minimum initial term of 15 years for ESAs of 100 MW or more and billing demand of at least 75% of contract demand; it requires NCUC approval. (Duke Energy Carolinas/Progress filing to NCUC (hosted by SELC))

Source excerpt

“Large Load Customers are defined as customers served at either a single premises, or at multiple premises within one mile of each other, and meet the demand and load factor criteria of either (a) a total contract demand of 50 MW or more and an expected 12-month rolling average load factor of 80% of more, or (b) a total contract demand of 150 MW or more and any load factor.”

Rate case: Canary Media reports Duke proposed an 18% household rate increase partly to prepare the grid, with data center demand central to the dispute; the large-load settlement was filed in these same dockets. (Canary Media)

Official forecasts of data center load

• An expert witness in the NC rate cases said Duke added 8 GW to its Carolinas demand projections for 43 anticipated large-load projects through 2035. (Canary Media, 2026-06-17)
  Source excerpt

  “8 gigawatts to its demand projections in the Carolinas”

What sources say about customer bills

Sources warning that other customers’ costs could rise

• Southern Environmental Law Center and allied groups: The groups say the settlement would let data centers exit while paying a fraction of the upgrade costs they triggered. (Southern Environmental Law Center, 2026-10-07)
  Source excerpt

  “allows them to walk away by paying only a small fraction of the cost of the upgrades they triggered.”

• Eddy Moore, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy: SACE links Duke's requested rate increases to infrastructure buildout largely to serve data centers. (Canary Media, 2026-06-17)
  Source excerpt

  “We understand these excessive requests to be connected to the rush to build out new infrastructure, largely to serve data centers.”

Sources saying customers are protected, or bills are lower than they would be

• Duke Energy (Kendal Bowman, NC president): Duke says the settlement memorializes and enhances 2024 protections so large-load customers pay the costs to serve them. (PR Newswire (via Webull), 2026-10-07)
  Source excerpt

  “data centers will pay upfront for all costs to connect to the grid”

Sources finding both, or saying it depends

• WUNC/WFAE reporting on the settlement: WUNC reports that, under the settlement, data centers pay upfront for dedicated facilities while other transmission upgrade costs are initially shared across all customers. (WUNC News, 2026-10-07)
  Source excerpt

  “spread across all customers in the beginning.”

These are statements by regulators, utilities, advocates and researchers about this utility or its region. They are not a prediction of any customer’s bill, which depends on rates, usage and regulator decisions.

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