GREENVILLE, S.C. – South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, attracting new residents, major employers, and billions of dollars in economic investment. Meeting the state’s energy needs requires a reliable energy system that can support thriving communities while keeping costs as low as possible for customers.
Duke Energy’s 2026 Carolinas Resource Plan – submitted Aug. 14 to the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSCSC) – reflects execution already underway and highlights new opportunities to power South Carolina’s future.
- The strategy is designed to maximize the value of existing assets while making prudent investments in additional diverse resources needed to serve the state’s growing population and economy.
- Through an execution-informed planning approach, Duke Energy will continue adjusting to changing conditions while maintaining its focus on delivering safe, reliable, and affordable energy for Palmetto State customers.
Our view: “South Carolina’s success depends on having the energy infrastructure in place to support new residents, new businesses and new or expanding industries,” said Tim Pearson, Duke Energy’s South Carolina president. “We’ve made significant progress executing the strategy outlined in previous resource plans, and this updated roadmap builds on that momentum and details the additional actions we need to take now to keep the Carolinas powered reliably and affordably as the region grows.”
A plan for South Carolina: Consistent with previous resource plans and supportive of South Carolina energy policy goals under the 2025 Energy Security Act (Act 41), the latest plan advances new generation, new energy storage and renewables opportunities, evaluates future nuclear generation options, maximizes energy efficiency and maintains flexibility to adapt as customer needs, technology and market conditions evolve.
What’s in the plan?
Key elements include:
- Natural Gas: Natural gas is a major near-term reliability resource, with uprates completed, multiple combined cycle (CC)/combustion turbine (CT) projects advancing, approval for a 1,400 megawatt (MW) new combined cycle facility in Anderson County secured, and turbine supply agreements executed with delivery beginning from GE Vernova in Greenville.
- Storage: The company is scaling battery storage execution, with storage projects in service, equipment secured, interconnection activity underway, and an RFP for 400 MW of standalone storage in South Carolina.
- Solar: Solar procurement and construction remain active, including completed facilities, projects under construction, and RFPs for solar and solar paired with storage.
- Nuclear: Existing nuclear assets continue to be maximized through license renewals, uprates, and fuel-cycle work, while the company evaluates potential new nuclear options and considers sites in Cherokee County, S.C., and Stokes County, N.C.
- Grid Edge: Grid Edge programs are treated as a core execution tool to reduce, shift, and shape demand through energy efficiency, demand-side management, load curtailment, customer programs, and storage demand response.
To explore more details of the Carolinas Resource Plan, visit duke-energy.com/CarolinasResourcePlan.
Our view: “As South Carolina continues to grow, we’re continuing our investment not only in new energy resources, but also in programs and technologies that help customers use energy more efficiently and save money,” Pearson said. “From energy-efficiency programs to demand-response initiatives and our grid modernization strategy, this plan provides customers with more value while ensuring we have the reliable energy infrastructure needed to support the state’s future.”
Maximizing value for customers: Duke Energy continues to use every tool available to manage costs for our customers while delivering the high quality of service they expect.
- Through its proposed resource mix, the company is maximizing the value that tax credits provide customers and finalizing the recently approved combination of Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress – efforts that together will deliver more than $5 billion in cost-saving benefits to the customers and communities the company serves.
- Duke Energy has also applied for loans from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that represent potentially billions of dollars in customer savings as the company strengthens the electric grid.
What’s next: The PSCSC will hold a hearing on the resource plan in April 2027 and issue an order by June 2027.
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