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Investor-owned utility

Duke Energy Progress (DEP) interconnection application

Duke Energy Progress (DEP) is an investor-owned utility serving 1,527,825 residential customers in North Carolina, South Carolina (EIA-861, 2025). Gridpol files Duke Energy Progress (DEP) interconnection applications for licensed installers – solar, storage and EV chargers – with single-line diagram and site plan, unlimited for $500 a month.

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Partly researched from official sources. Re-checked 2026-11-13: duke-energy.com still returns HTTP 403 (also via WebFetch); archive.org not reachable; no official page found naming the online interconnection portal URL. NC rules taken from NCIP (Docket E-100 Sub 101) and NC Public Staff; NCIP allows submission by hand delivery, mail, email or fax. Verify on first project: Duke online interconnection portal URL and installer login, current <=20 kW fee, Duke-specific document checklist, SC (DEP SC) process under SC Generator Interconnection Standards and Solar Choice tariff.

Duke Energy Progress (DEP) at a glance

Utility

Duke Energy Progress (Duke Energy Corporation)

Type

Investor-owned utility

EIA utility ID

3046

Residential customers

1,527,825 (EIA-861, 2025)

Net-metered residential customers

29,562 (EIA-861, 2025)

Service territory

56 counties in North Carolina, 13 counties in South Carolina

Who submits

Interconnection Customer (account holder) signs; installer may be listed as contact/'entity responsible for interfacing with the Utility' (NCIP 2.4). Duke's PowerPair pages tell customers to have their Trade Ally (installer) complete the Interconnection Request and select the rider.

Export compensation

Net billing – NC: Residential Solar Choice Rider RSC (TOU-CPP required, monthly net excess credited at avoided-cost NEEC) / Net Metering Bridge Rider NMB (limited annual enrollment, up to 15 years); legacy Rider NM closed 9/30/2023
Legacy Rider NM customers move to NMB by 12/31/2026. RSC: minimum bill, non-bypassable charges, grid access fee >15 kW AC. Legacy credit forfeiture date May 31 (DEP). SC service area uses Duke 'Solar Choice' tariffs under SC rules - not verified here.

Review time (official)

NCIP: receipt confirmation 3 business days; completeness 10 business days (customer has 10 business days to cure); 20 kW Inverter Process screening 15 business days; witness test within 10 business days of Certificate of Completion or deemed waived. SC: SC GIP has same structure (completeness 10 business days, 20 kW screening 15 business days, witness test 10 business days).

Documents Duke Energy Progress (DEP) asks for

  • Interconnection application formNCIP Attachment 6 'Interconnection Request Application Form ... Certified Inverter-Based Generating Facility No Larger than 20 kW'; >20 kW: Attachment 2 form Gridpol prepares this.
  • Customer signatureSigned by the Interconnection Customer (NCIP 1.5.1.1); a separate contact (installer) may be listed on the form (NCIP 2.4)
  • Site plan / site layoutSite plan with project location, property lines and desired Point of Interconnection (NCIP 1.5.1.4) Gridpol prepares this.
  • Single-line diagram (one-line)Electrical one-line diagram (NCIP 1.5.1.5) Gridpol prepares this.
  • Inverter spec sheetInverter specification sheets (NCIP 1.5.1.6); attach manufacturer cut-sheet showing UL 1741 listing
  • UL 1741 / IEEE 1547 certificationUL 1741 listing shown on cut-sheet (Attachment 6)
  • Other utility-specific documentSite Control Verification letter (NCIP 1.5.1.3; sample in Attachment 2)
  • Proof of insuranceResidential <=250 kW: homeowner's policy with >= $100,000 liability per occurrence; non-residential <=250 kW: CGL >= $300,000; >250 kW: >= $1,000,000 (NCIP 6.15)
  • Final inspection sign-offCertificate of Completion (Attachment 6) submitted after installation, with electrician name/license; local electrical inspection

How the Duke Energy Progress (DEP) process runs

  1. (Optional) Pre-Application Report request (NCIP 1.3).
  2. Submit Interconnection Request (Attachment 6 for <=20 kW) with fee, site control letter, site plan, one-line diagram, inverter spec sheets; utility confirms receipt within 3 business days and completeness within 10 business days (NCIP 1.5).
  3. Utility screens under Fast Track screens within 15 business days and returns the approved form (contingent approval to interconnect) (NCIP 2.2.1).
  4. Install system; obtain local electrical inspection.
  5. Submit Certificate of Completion (Attachment 6) (NCIP 2.3.1).
  6. Utility may perform witness test within 10 business days of Certificate of Completion (otherwise deemed waived) and installs bi-directional meter as needed.
  7. Utility notifies customer in writing that interconnection/parallel operation is authorized (PTO) (NCIP 2.3.2).

Fees

FeeApplies toNote
$20020 kW Inverter Process (certified inverter-based <=20 kW)Non-refundable, per NCIP Attachment 6 (utility-hosted copy eff. Oct 2021); $50 for ownership transfer only. Verify Duke's current form amount.
$750Fast Track >20 kW to 100 kWNon-refundable processing fee (NCIP Attachment 2)
$1,000Fast Track >100 kW to 2 MWNon-refundable processing fee
$750 / $1,000 depositSupplemental Review (>20-100 kW / >100 kW-2 MW)
$20,000 + $1/kWacSection 4 Study Process (<20 MW)Interconnection Request Deposit
$100SC service area: certified inverter <=20 kW (SC GIP model Attachment 7 form)SC Generator Interconnection Procedures; Duke SC current amount not verified

Utility fees are paid by the installer or customer; they are not part of the Gridpol plan.

Size levels and limits

LevelUp toNote
20 kW Inverter Process (NCIP Sec. 2)20 kWCertified (UL 1741) inverter-based only
Fast Track (NCIP Sec. 3)100 kW<5 kV lines: <=100 kW anywhere, <=500 kW on mainline within 2.5 circuit miles of substation; 5-15 kV: <=1 MW (2 MW mainline); 15-35 kV: <=2 MW
Study Process (NCIP Sec. 4)All >2 MW and Fast Track failures
Net metering cap20 kW

NC net metering eligibility: residential <=20 kW AC, non-residential <=1 MW AC (NC Public Staff).

Storage, EV and stamps

Battery storage

NC forms capture storage nameplate kW and kWh; maximum generating capacity requested at POI is the export limit. Storage additions to an existing facility can be a material modification (NCIP 1.6). Duke PowerPair incentive (solar+battery) requires the Interconnection Request first; details not verified (site blocked).

Common issues the utility lists

  • Incomplete Interconnection Request: utility sends written list of missing items; customer has 10 business days (+10 on request) to cure or the request is withdrawn (NCIP 1.5.3-1.5.4)
  • Request not submitted by a valid legal entity registered with NC Secretary of State / not signed by the Interconnection Customer (NCIP 1.5.1.1)
  • Missing UL 1741 cut-sheet / non-certified equipment (not eligible for 20 kW process)

Gridpol’s pre-submission check covers these before we file.

Sources

North Carolina interconnection rule

Commission

North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC)

Interconnection rule

North Carolina Interconnection Procedures, Forms, and Agreements for State-Jurisdictional Generator Interconnections (NCIP), NCUC Docket No. E-100, Sub 101 – North Carolina Interconnection Procedures, Forms, and Agreements · source

Applies to

State-jurisdictional interconnections to NCUC-regulated utilities (Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, Dominion Energy North Carolina) where the output is not sold to a third party (NCIP 1.1.1). EMCs and municipal utilities are not rate-regulated by NCUC for this.

Application form

Statewide NCIP forms: Attachment 6 Interconnection Request Application Form for Certified Inverter-Based Generating Facility No Larger than 20 kW (with Certificate of Completion); Attachment 2 Interconnection Request Application Form for all others; standard Interconnection Agreement.

Timelines

20 kW process: screens and approval within 15 business days; minor construction cost estimate within 15 business days; Certificate of Completion after installation, utility may witness test before parallel operation; no parallel operation until witness test performed or waived. Fast Track initial review 15 business days after complete request. Pre-Application Report $500.

Fees

<= 20 kW: $200 processing fee; Fast Track $750 (20-100 kW) / $1,000 (100 kW-2 MW); Supplemental Review deposit $750/$1,000; Study deposit from $20,000 + $1/kWac; Pre-Application Report $500.

Insurance

Liability insurance required (NCIP 6.15): residential <= 250 kW standard homeowner's policy with >= $100,000 per occurrence; non-residential <= 250 kW CGL >= $300,000; non-residential > 250 kW CGL >= $1,000,000; self-insurance possible for creditworthy customers.

External disconnect

Utility MAY require a manual load-break disconnect or safety switch with visible position, padlockable open, accessible, labeled 'Generator Disconnect Switch'; if required by the utility (not by code) for certified inverters <= 10 kW, the utility reimburses reasonable installation cost (NCIP 2.1, 6.16).

Export compensation

Net billing – G.S. 62-126.4 (S.L. 2017-192, HB 589); NCUC Order Approving Revised Net Metering Tariffs, Docket E-100, Sub 180 (Mar. 23, 2023)
Duke: since Oct. 1, 2023 new residential customers take Rider RSC (TOU-CPP, minimum bill, monthly net excess credited at avoided cost) or capped Rider NMB (bridge, up to 15 years); legacy Rider NM closed Sept. 30, 2023, existing residential move to NMB after Dec. 31, 2026. Public Staff states eligibility 1 MW AC non-residential, 20 kW AC residential (as published). Dominion NC terms not reviewed.

Not bound by the rule

EMCs and municipal utilities are not rate-regulated by NCUC and are not required to offer net metering; they set their own interconnection procedures (many munis/ElectriCities members and EMCs use procedures modeled on the NCIP 20 kW / Fast Track structure).

Other utilities in North Carolina

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  • Unlimited interconnection applications
  • Single-line diagram and site plan for every application
  • Pre-submission check against the utility’s requirements
  • Homeowner e-signature link for the authorization
  • Filing in your utility portal accounts or by the utility’s method
  • Utility questions, corrections and resubmissions
  • Follow-up through approval, inspection and PTO
  • Customer list, exports, API and webhooks
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Applications are typically submitted within 2 business days after complete documents. Utility review times are set by each utility.

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