South Carolina Regulators Approve Duke Energy's Nonresidential Battery Program

State regulators in South Carolina have granted approval for PowerShare Storage, a demand response program tailored for the nonresidential sector. This framework allows Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) to utilize battery storage systems located at customer sites as flexible assets to stabilize the electrical grid during periods of high consumption.

The initiative targets the public sector as well as industrial and commercial organizations. By registering eligible battery hardware, these entities permit the utility to draw upon stored electricity. This program represents an expansion of Duke Energy's existing storage flexibility efforts, which previously focused on residential users.

Financial incentives for participants include an initial connection payment of $120 for every kilowatt (kW) of capacity that meets technical standards. An additional $30 per kW incentive is available for storage systems that are charged using renewable energy sources.

Ongoing compensation features a monthly capacity payment of $3.50 per kW, which is adjusted based on verified system losses. Furthermore, participants earn a $0.10 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) credit for energy supplied during specific curtailment windows within a billing period.

The utility is permitted to activate enrolled systems for 30 to 36 discharge events annually, with each session limited to a maximum of four hours. Customers are allowed to bypass up to four events per year—including two during the winter—without losing their eligibility for program credits.

Duke Energy plans to begin the PowerShare Storage rollout in South Carolina in August 2026. Currently, the utility manages demand response for approximately 500,000 customers across the Carolinas.