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Duke Energy strikes deal with tech giants to shield North Carolina customers from data center costs
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A settlement with Amazon, Google, Microsoft and the Department of Defense would make the biggest power users pay upfront for the grid they need.
Key facts
- Early termination fees under new contracts could range from $25 million to more than $587 million, depending on demand and contract length
- The agreement, struck on October 7, 2026, brings together the North Carolina Public Staff, tech heavyweights including Amazon, Google and Microsoft, and the US Department of Defense
- The next checkpoint is the North Carolina Utilities Commission, which is expected to rule by mid-November 2026
- Duke Energy has reached a settlement designed to keep North Carolina households from paying for the AI boom’s electricity bill
Summary
Duke Energy has reached a settlement designed to keep North Carolina households from paying for the AI boom’s electricity bill. The agreement, struck on October 7, 2026, brings together the North Carolina Public Staff, tech heavyweights including Amazon, Google and Microsoft, and the US Department of Defense. Whether it holds depends on one more signature: the North Carolina Utilities Commission still has to approve it. New large-load customers would make nonrefundable payments upfront for facilities built specifically to serve them.