North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency NCEMPA is purchasing the electricity generated at the solar farm through a 15-year agreement. The site has the ability to produce enough electricity to power about 3,000 homes.
“With the 11 MW of commercial solar power we already generate in North Carolina, the Beaufort County facility more than doubles our solar capacity in the state,” said Duke Energy Renewables President Greg Wolf. “In fact, it is our largest solar power project in the eastern United States.”
Duke Energy Renewables contracted with SunEnergy1, a solar design, engineering and construction company based in Mooresville, N.C., to build the 53,000-panel photovoltaic project.
“We’re proud that our partnership with Duke Energy Renewables generated more than 125 local jobs in Beaufort County during construction and that those workers brought the project in on time and on budget,” said Kenny Habul, SunEnergy1 chief executive officer. “We’re also pleased that the solar project allowed us to make much-needed investments in the local economy by purchasing supplies, services, materials and heavy-duty construction equipment.”
SunEnergy1 designed the solar array and will continue to handle operations, monitoring and maintenance of the system.
Other North Carolina companies involved in the project include: Deatwyler Clean Energy of Huntersville, N.C. Bosch Solar Energy from Mooresville, N.C. and the Sustainable Energy Community Development Company based in Davidson, N.C.
The Washington White Post Solar Power Project is Duke Energy RenewablesÂ’ 14th wholly owned commercial solar farm. In addition to this 12.5-MW Beaufort County facility and the 5-MW Murfreesboro Solar Power Project in eastern North Carolina, Duke Energy Renewables owns six 1-MW solar facilities in the western part of the state.
Since 2007, Duke Energy has invested more than $2.5 billion to grow its commercial wind and solar business.