Utility Tariff Analysis · Updated September 2026

Duke Energy's 50 MW Large-Load Generic Docket: What It Means for AI Data Centre Siting in South Carolina

September 18, 2026 6 min read Strategic Crypto Reserve Data Centre Infrastructure

50 MW or greater additions are covered by a generic docket Duke Energy's South Carolina utilities agreed to open, evaluating existing rate schedules, service regulations, line-extension policy and interconnection rules specifically for 50 MW-plus load additions, alongside updated Service Regulations already approved to formally account for large-load customers.

The Tariff Explained Model a SC Build
Duke Energy's 50 MW Large-Load Generic Docket — AI data centre infrastructure

Duke Energy's 50 MW Large-Load Generic Docket

SC

Duke Energy Carolinas / Duke Energy Progress

2025-172-E; 2025-154-E; 2026-138-E

Regulatory docket / filing reference

50 MW or greater additions

Who the tariff applies to

50 MW or greater additions are covered by a generic docket Duke Energy's South Carolina utilities agreed to open, evaluating existing rate schedules, service regulations, line-extension policy and interconnection rules specifically for 50 MW-plus load additions, alongside updated Service Regulations already approved to formally account for large-load customers.

Also active in South Carolina: South Carolina's stipulation process — agreeing to the generic docket structure before rates are finalized — has become a template other Duke Energy jurisdictions, including North Carolina, are now following.

Figures compiled from the Edison Electric Institute's "Large Load Projects and Tariffs" (September 2026) member-company summary and public regulatory filings. Confirm current tariff terms directly with Duke Energy Carolinas / Duke Energy Progress and the relevant state public utility commission before relying on any figure for a capital decision.

Weighing South Carolina against another state or a Canadian province with a different rate and interconnection picture entirely? Run both sides of the comparison through our licensed AI data centre cost configurator — it applies each jurisdiction's actual power rate, tax treatment and large-load tariff rules to the same seven build configurations.

Model This State on Your Own Site

Every figure above comes from the same power-cost and tariff dataset behind the SCR AI Build Configurator — a licensed, embeddable widget that models seven data centre build configurations against all nine Canadian provinces and all 50 US states plus DC, returning capital expenditure by line item, energy cost, revenue by commercial structure, EBITDA and payback.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Duke Energy's 50 MW Large-Load Generic Docket?

50 MW or greater additions are covered by a generic docket Duke Energy's South Carolina utilities agreed to open, evaluating existing rate schedules, service regulations, line-extension policy and interconnection rules specifically for 50 MW-plus load additions, alongside updated Service Regulations already approved to formally account for large-load customers.

Why did Duke Energy Carolinas / Duke Energy Progress introduce this large-load structure?

To ensure the cost of new generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure built to serve very large customers, chiefly hyperscale data centres, is paid for by those customers rather than spread across the general rate base of residential and small commercial ratepayers.

What large data centre projects are already active in South Carolina?

South Carolina's stipulation process — agreeing to the generic docket structure before rates are finalized — has become a template other Duke Energy jurisdictions, including North Carolina, are now following.

Does this tariff replace South Carolina's standard commercial and industrial rates?

No. Duke Energy's 50 MW Large-Load Generic Docket sits above Duke Energy Carolinas / Duke Energy Progress's standard commercial and industrial rate schedules and applies specifically to customers that meet or exceed the large-load threshold described above. Smaller commercial and industrial loads continue to be billed under existing rate schedules.

How can I model a South Carolina data centre build against this tariff and other states?

The SCR AI Build Configurator applies South Carolina's power cost, tax treatment and large-load tariff rules alongside all other US states and Canadian provinces, so a South Carolina scenario can be compared line-by-line against any alternative site.