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Duke Energy says it plans to begin stakeholder discussions in early 2027 about a clean transition tariff for large electricity users in North Carolina. The proposal could let companies pay for new zero-carbon power through Duke, but the utility has not committed to create or implement a tariff.
Duke Energy plans to begin stakeholder discussions in early 2027 about a proposed clean transition tariff for large electricity users in North Carolina, the utility told Canary Media. The discussions mark the clearest progress in years toward a program that could let technology companies and other major customers pay for new zero-carbon electricity through Duke, but the company has not committed to establishing the tariff.
Duke spokesperson Bill Norton said the utility would seek to engage stakeholders to examine what its existing programs do not offer and what features a new tariff might include. Norton described the plan for a discussion as “definite,” while making clear that the outcome is still to be explored. A stakeholder process is not itself a state policy or an approved electricity program.
Duke said any potential tariff should build on Green Source Advantage, its existing set of programs that allows large energy users to contribute to renewable projects already underway. The proposed clean transition tariff is intended to offer a route for customers to support new zero-carbon energy, rather than simply rely on Duke’s current offerings. The design, eligibility, costs and timing of any such option have not been announced.
Technology companies including Google have advocated for a clean transition tariff for much of the decade, according to Canary Media. The idea would let large customers pay a premium for new clean energy, with Duke acting as the utility intermediary. The report says the proposal has faced little opposition, but Duke had not taken concrete steps to make it a reality until its latest statement.
Who Pays for New Power
The discussion comes as Duke projects rapidly rising electricity demand, including from data centers. The utility is seeking higher rates and plans to build new fossil-fuel power plants, in part to serve growing demand from these facilities, according to the report. The scale and pace of that buildout matter to households because utility infrastructure costs can affect customer bills.
Advocates say a tariff that makes large companies pay for clean energy they request could support corporate climate goals while limiting the risk that other customers end up paying for expensive infrastructure built for projects that later shrink, leave or fail to materialize. That concern is often described as stranded-asset risk. Whether a North Carolina tariff would reduce that risk depends on its terms, including how costs and long-term commitments are assigned.
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Duke’s Earlier Tariff Signals
Duke announced in spring 2024 that it intended to pursue a clean transition tariff with major technology firms and steelmaker Nucor, but did not follow through, Canary Media reported. Earlier this year, the utility said it would evaluate the idea “in good faith” without promising to create a program. Its new statement sets out a next step—a stakeholder engagement process—rather than a final decision.
North Carolina’s electricity market also shapes the proposal. Across most of the state, Duke is the only utility that can sell power, according to the report. The company’s grid is not required to be fully clean until mid-century, leaving large customers that seek round-the-clock carbon-free electricity with limited ways to secure it through their utility.
Across the United States, large-load tariffs are gaining attention as utilities plan for data-center demand. Such tariffs commonly require large users to pay for a minimum amount of power; some also include provisions for customers to bring or fund clean energy. The details vary, and the source report does not describe a completed North Carolina tariff.
““We continue to be open to a clean transition tariff, over and above our current Green Source Advantage offerings.””
— Bill Norton, Duke Energy spokesperson
Tariff Terms Remain Undecided
Duke has not said whether it will ultimately create a clean transition tariff, what customers would pay, or how much new clean power a program might support. The utility’s statement commits to stakeholder discussions, not to a filing, regulatory approval or launch date. It is also unclear which companies or other groups will take part and how Duke will decide whether its current programs leave a gap.
The planned discussions do not settle questions about data-center demand forecasts, the cost of new power plants, or how those costs would be allocated among large users and households. The source report describes consumer protection and climate benefits as arguments made by advocates; it does not establish that a proposed tariff would guarantee either outcome.
Stakeholder Talks in 2027
Duke says it plans to engage stakeholders in early 2027 to review Green Source Advantage and consider possible additional features. The next developments to watch are who participates, what tariff design Duke puts forward, and whether the utility moves from discussion to a formal proposal. Any timetable beyond the planned discussions has not been announced.
Until Duke releases further details, the practical effect for companies seeking round-the-clock carbon-free electricity—and for residential customers concerned about new infrastructure costs—remains unsettled.
Key Questions
What did Duke Energy announce?
Duke said it plans to begin stakeholder discussions in early 2027 about gaps in its existing programs and possible features of a clean transition tariff.
Has Duke agreed to launch the tariff?
No. Duke has committed to exploring the idea with stakeholders, but has not announced a final decision, approved program or launch date.
What would a clean transition tariff do?
The proposed approach would allow large electricity users to pay for new zero-carbon energy through Duke. The specific design and customer costs have not been determined.
Why are household customers part of the debate?
Advocates say requiring large users to pay for power or infrastructure they need could reduce the chance that households bear costs if a data center or other major customer later cuts demand or leaves. Whether a tariff would provide that protection depends on its terms.
What is Green Source Advantage?
It is a group of existing Duke programs that lets large energy users contribute to renewable projects already underway. Duke says a possible tariff should build on those offerings.
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