• Duke Energy reached a settlement to tighten regulatory protections shielding North Carolina customers from costs tied to data centers.
• Measures include nonrefundable upfront payments for customer-only interconnections, deposits for broader grid upgrades, and a High Load Factor rate.
• Terms would cover large-load customers signing electric service agreements in North Carolina after June 1, 2026, if regulators sign off.
• North Carolina Utilities Commission ruling is expected by mid-November.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Duke Energy Corporation published the original content used to generate this news brief via PR Newswire (Ref. ID: CL66339) on October 07, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.