Duke Energy Reaches Tariff Deal Forcing Data Centers to Pay Upfront for Grid Connections

Duke Energy and large corporate consumers have submitted a proposed large load tariff to the North Carolina Utilities Commission to address the state's booming data center construction. The new regulatory framework requires high-demand facilities to pay upfront for all grid connection costs, ensuring that localized infrastructure expenses are not passed onto residential households. The settlement strictly omits any requirement for tech companies to procure clean energy for their high-demand projects. Due to the lack of emission and renewable mandates, zero clean energy advocacy groups signed onto the agreement. The five-member utilities commission is expected to review the settlement next month. "It's simple — data centers will pay upfront for all costs to connect to the grid." — Kendal Bowman