Duke Energy Launches Customer Protection Plus Framework

(DUKE ENERGY) CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Duke Energy customers will benefit from billions of dollars in long-term bill relief as data centers begin operations.

“Data centers will provide billions of dollars in customer benefits,” said Harry Sideris, president and CEO of Duke Energy. “Duke Energy remains laser-focused on ensuring data centers not only pay their fair share but also yield savings for our existing customers.”

Working with customers, regulators and other stakeholders, Duke Energy will ensure growth in energy demand creates lasting value for everyone. New revenues from growth support ongoing investments that improve the grid and expand energy resources.

How Duke Energy creates customer value from data center growth

Duke Energy’s Customer Protection Plus framework guides how the company evaluates, plans for, and manages data center growth. It’s built on three priorities:

• Preserve Reliability: Before new data center customers connect to the electric system, Duke Energy conducts engineering studies to ensure the grid can safely serve them while maintaining reliable service and power quality for existing customers.
• Power Responsible Growth: Large customers like data centers sign long-term agreements designed to protect existing customers and deliver customer savings.Agreements can include customer-funded connection costs, long-term commitments, upfront financial security, termination charges and temporary curtailment provisions for limited, targeted grid events. Together, these provisions provide greater certainty, support long-term planning and help ensure growth creates value for customers.
• Produce Shared Value: When revenues from new large-load customers exceed the cost of serving them, those projects will create customer benefits while supporting investments that strengthen the grid, expand energy resources and support long-term economic growth across communities.

Learn more about the Customer Protection Plus framework and Duke Energy’s approach for data centers at duke-energy.com/DataCenters.

What they’re saying

“We’ve always put customers first, and these agreements are designed to do exactly that,” said Harry Sideris, president and CEO, Duke Energy. “Through long-term commitments, financial protections and careful planning, we’re working to ensure growth supports reliability and creates lasting value for customers.”

“A lot of the discussion around data centers focuses on how much energy they use,” added Sasha Weintraub, EVP and chief customer officer, Duke Energy. “We’re equally focused on what that growth can mean for all customers. We’re committed to an ongoing, collaborative and transparent partnership with our customers, regulators and other stakeholders to ensure projects create meaningful customer benefits, all while ensuring the energy system is prepared for future growth.”