RALEIGH, N.C. — Participants in the North Carolina Transmission Planning Collaborative (NCTPC) have identified 73 major transmission projects that will improve the electric transmission infrastructure as part of the 2023-2033 Collaborative Transmission Plan (“2023 Plan”). These 73 major transmission projects in the 2023 Plan represent $2.44 billion in new transmission investments during the next decade. This includes 58 reliability projects representing around $1.94 billion in investments and 15 Public Policy projects representing around $500 million in investments that will enable the interconnection of new resources and replace aging infrastructure.
The major transmission projects identified in the 2023 Plan are expected to be implemented during the next 10 years by the transmission owners to enhance system reliability and resiliency, support the addition of new generation resources, and potentially enable increased economic electricity transfers across the transmission network.
The 2023 Plan report can be viewed on the NCTPC website under the Reference Documents section at nctpc.org/nctpc/home.jsp.
The 2023 Plan, relative to the 2022 Plan, includes 24 new Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and 12 new Duke Energy Progress (DEP) reliability projects totaling $1.07 billion in new transmission investments. Appendices C and D in the 2023 Plan report contain the specific details on all 58 reliability projects identified in the 2023 Plan, which includes 22 reliability projects from the previous year’s plan report. The in-service dates and cost estimates for some planned or underway 2023 reliability projects have been revised from the previous year’s plan report.
The 2023 Plan, relative to the 2022 Plan, includes one new DEP project resulting from the Public Policy Planning Process. This new project added to the previously identified 14 projects brings the total to around $500 million in new transmission investments for Public Policy projects. Appendices E and F in the 2023 Plan report contain the specific details on each of these 15 Public Policy projects.
The NCTPC was formed in 2005 by the load-serving entities (LSEs) to ensure DEC and DEP develop a shared plan for electric transmission system enhancements located in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina. Those LSEs include DEC, DEP, ElectriCities of North Carolina, which serves public power communities across the Carolinas, and North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives’ generation and transmission arm, North Carolina EMC (NCEMC), which serves as the power supplier for most of the state’s electric cooperatives.
Since its inception in 2005, transmission projects totaling around $3.94 billion have been identified in the NCTPC plans. More than $1.2 billion in projects have been placed in service through the end of 2023. Today, there are around $2.44 billion in projects still in the planning stage to support reliability and ongoing Public Policy initiatives. Another $300 million in projects were deferred until after 2033 or cancelled as a result of changing transmission system requirements. The plan is updated annually.
The NCTPC was established to provide participants and other stakeholders an opportunity to participate in the electric transmission planning process and develop a single coordinated transmission plan that includes reliability, resource supply additions, public policy, and local economic study transmission planning considerations. The group’s priority is to appropriately balance costs, benefits and risks associated with the use of transmission and generation resources.
Another goal of the NCTPC is to study the strength of the transmission infrastructure of DEC and DEP. The scope of the 2023 NCTPC study included a base reliability analysis for transmission needs to meet load growth between 2023 and 2033. For a variety of reasons, such as load growth, generation retirements, or power purchase agreements expiring, participants and other stakeholders may wish to evaluate other potential economic upgrades as a means to increase transmission access to potential supply resources inside and outside the DEC and DEP Balancing Areas.
For the 2023 Study, the NCTPC received two Public Policy Study requests: (1) the interconnection of high volumes of solar and solar plus storage to the DEC and DEP transmission systems; and (2) the generation retirements and resource supply additions as provided in the 2022 Duke Carbon Plan Portfolios. The final scope of the 2023 Public Policy Study assumed a combination of scenarios from these two requests, incorporating input from the OSC and in consultation and coordination with the two study requestors. The Public Policy Study analysis is still in progress. The results of the 2023 Public Policy Study will be published in a supplemental report at a later date, anticipated to be Q1 2024.
“Effective planning is an essential part of supporting the growing energy needs of the Carolinas and the customers served by our transmission system,” said Avni Patel of Duke Energy, Chair of the NCTPC Oversight/Steering Committee (OSC). “The NCTPC provides a transparent and collaborative process for entities who rely on the transmission system to coordinate plans for future enhancements in ways that optimize cost effectiveness and reliability.”
The NCTPC process includes active participation of other market participants and stakeholders through a Transmission Advisory Group (TAG), which is open to all interested parties. Stakeholders interested in joining the TAG or receiving information about the NCTPC process can sign up at nctpc.org/nctpc/home.jsp.
During the NCTPC process, an administrative consultant serves as a facilitator who chairs the TAG and solicits input from stakeholders through the open TAG meetings. Richard Wodyka, the current NCTPC consultant, can be reached at rich.wodyka@gmail.com. If you have any comments or questions on the NCTPC process or the 2023-2033 Collaborative Transmission Plan Study Report, contact Richard Wodyka via email or phone at 484-431-0335.
For media inquiries, contact the corporate media relations representatives at each entity:
Duke Energy
– Jeff Brooks: 919.522.1168 | Jeff.Brooks@duke-energy.com
North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives
– Townley Venters: 919.645.2432 | townley.venters@ncemcs.com
ElectriCities of North Carolina (municipals)
– Elizabeth Kadick: 919.760.6285 | ekadick@electricities.org
About ElectriCities of North Carolina
ElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc., is the membership organization that provides power supply and related critical services to over 90 community-owned electric systems in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia—collectively known as public power. ElectriCities manages the power supply for two power agencies in North Carolina and provides technical services to assist members in operating their electric distribution systems. ElectriCities also helps these locally owned and operated public power providers thrive today and in the future by delivering innovative services, including legislative, technical, communications, and economic development expertise.
Visit www.electricities.com to learn more about the benefits of public power and how ElectriCities helps communities keep the lights on through access to safe, reliable, and affordable energy.
Media contact
Elizabeth Kadick
Vice President, Communications, ElectriCities
919-760-6285
ekadick@electricities.org