{"id":6046,"date":"2025-09-25T10:04:04","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T14:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sunhub.com\/blog\/?p=6046"},"modified":"2025-12-04T04:22:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T09:22:55","slug":"utilities-embrace-utility-scale-solar-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sunhub.com\/blog\/utilities-embrace-utility-scale-solar-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Utilities Step Up Solar Deployments \u2013 How Power Companies are Embracing PV (September 2025)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Across the United States, electric utilities, from investor-owned giants to municipal and cooperative utilities, are dramatically expanding their solar deployments in 2025. September\u2019s news highlights include utilities bringing large solar farms online, launching innovative customer programs, and integrating solar with grids in new ways. This represents a pivotal shift: utilities, once wary of intermittent renewables, are now among the biggest drivers of solar growth. Here\u2019s a look at how utility solar is evolving and what it means for solar developers, equipment suppliers, and energy customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Utilities Adding Record Solar Capacity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The numbers tell the story: utilities are adding solar generation at an unprecedented rate. In the first half of 2025, solar accounted for 75% of all new U.S. power capacity additions, much of that in utility-scale projects. Solar (often paired with storage) has become the dominant choice for utilities expanding their generation fleets, far outpacing wind or natural gas in new builds. In fact, if you include battery storage, solar plus storage made up 82% of new capacity in H1 2025. This marks a turning point: renewable energy is now the default for many utilities planning to meet growth or replace retiring coal plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Platte River Power Authority (Colorado)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As noted in Blog 3, PRPA began receiving power from the new 185 MW Black Hollow Sun I solar farm, now its largest contracted solar resource. This community-owned utility (serving cities like Fort Collins) is working toward a 100% non-carbon energy mix by 2030, and solar is central to that target. The successful integration of such a large solar project demonstrates that even mid-sized utilities can handle utility-scale PV and are willing to sign big power purchase agreements. It also provides a real-world example of solar smoothing out grid needs. PRPA can use midday solar to reduce demand on its fossil units, saving fuel and cutting emissions, benefiting its ratepayers.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Florida Power & Light (Florida)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

FPL, the nation\u2019s largest utility by retail sales, has been executing on its \u201c30-by-30\u201d plan (30 million solar panels by 2030). By September 2025, FPL has brought over 50 solar farms online (each roughly 75 MW) across Florida\u2019s sunny landscape. This month, FPL announced completion of another ~300 MW of solar capacity as part of its \u201cSolar Energy Centers\u201d expansion. The company\u2019s embrace of large-scale solar, often in combination with battery storage to form the innovative \u201csolar plus storage microgrids,\u201d is providing a template for other regulated utilities. FPL notes that its solar plants help hedge against volatile natural gas prices, ultimately saving customers money. Utility executives increasingly frame solar not just as green, but as the lowest-cost new generation which stabilizes rates (a key message for regulators).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duke Energy (Carolinas & Florida)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Duke Energy, historically a big coal and gas utility, is pivoting to solar in a big way under clean energy commitments. In the Carolinas, Duke is procuring 2,660 MW of new utility-scale solar from 2025 to 2029 as mandated by state law. Notably, in August, North and South Carolina regulators approved new \u201cGreen Source Advantage\u201d programs (green tariffs) that allow Duke\u2019s large commercial customers to directly fund new solar farms which Duke will build or buy. This effectively lets cities, corporations, or universities get access to utility-scale solar through the utility, a model bridging traditional utility procurement and corporate PPAs. By September, Duke was gearing up to formalize this program, signaling a trend: utilities offering renewable energy options to their big customers as a service. In Florida, Duke Energy Florida\u2019s ten-year plan indicates significant solar additions as well, aiming for ~95% carbon-free by 2045. For solar developers, Duke\u2019s approach means new opportunities to partner on projects via RFPs or the green tariff mechanism. For customers, it means easier pathways to go 100% renewable through their utility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mississippi\u2019s Emerging Solar Push<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While some Southeastern utilities were slow to start on solar<\/a>, even traditionally coal-dependent areas are changing. Mississippi Power (a Southern Company subsidiary) and cooperative utilities have, by September 2025, integrated nearly two dozen solar farms statewide. Many of these are smaller (1 to 20 MW) projects often built in partnership with co-ops or local economic development initiatives. The Mississippi PSC\u2019s docket in September listed at least half a dozen new solar projects seeking approval, reflecting growing interest. Utilities in Mississippi highlight that solar is providing fixed-price energy that hedges fuel costs. The Sierra Club noted it is a \u201cwin for ratepayers\u201d as it saves money over time. As costs decline, we can expect every utility, even in conservative regions, to add solar simply because it is economically sensible. This broad adoption is good news for equipment suppliers since regions that were marginal markets are now ordering panels, inverters, and BOS components, diversifying demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Innovative Utility Solar Programs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Community Solar & Shared Solar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Utilities in many states are rolling out community solar programs. For example, Georgia Power (part of Southern Company) was pushed by regulators and agreed in mid-2025 to pilot community solar offerings. Georgia Bright, a nonprofit coalition, launched a no-cost solar program for low-income households, and one upcoming phase will involve utility-led community solar grants to local utilities to benefit low-income customers. Similarly, in Colorado and Minnesota, Xcel Energy offers Solar*Rewards Community where customers can subscribe to utility-facilitated solar gardens. These programs allow renters, businesses, and others who cannot put panels on their property to still participate in solar, via the utility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green Tariffs for Corporates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Duke\u2019s Green Source Advantage and similar programs in Utah (Rocky Mountain Power\u2019s Schedule 34) or Nevada (NV Energy\u2019s GreenEnergy Rider) show utilities trying to keep large users from going third-party by providing renewable energy deals themselves. In North Carolina\u2019s newly approved plan, customers pay a premium to speed up new solar construction by about two years, essentially buying additionality faster. This indicates utilities see a business opportunity in meeting corporate sustainability needs. Solar developers should note that working with utilities on these programs could streamline PPA processes compared to negotiating separate deals with corporates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Net Metering and DG Integration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some utilities have had contentious relations with rooftop solar (e.g., California\u2019s NEM 3.0 debate). But others are finding middle ground with smart export rates, time-of-use adjustments, or utility-owned rooftop programs. For instance, Green Mountain Power in Vermont long ago let customers choose utility-owned panels on their roof for a bill credit. In Maryland, utilities are working with the state on adopting SolarAPP+ to streamline residential PV permitting. Easier solar installs ultimately help utilities meet renewable goals too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solar-Plus-Storage for Grid Support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A growing number of utilities deploy solar plants with battery storage<\/a> to provide not just energy but also reliability services. Arizona\u2019s APS and SRP are bringing online solar farms with large batteries to meet evening peak demand. Hawaiian Electric this year completed a slew of solar plus storage projects as it retired its last coal plant. In California, CAISO\u2019s utility members rely on solar plus storage as a peaker replacement. September saw more utility storage procurements which will pair with solar. The upshot: utilities view solar and batteries together as a dispatchable resource that can replace fossil peakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why This Matters for Solar Businesses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The acceleration of utility solar creates a robust pipeline of projects and programs that solar companies can tap into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n