Duke Energy to build, own, operate 69-MW Laurel Hill wind farm in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, sell electricity to Delaware Municipal Electric; construction began in August, will be complete by September 2012

Rachel Carter

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina , September 13, 2011 (press release) – Duke Energy will build a new wind farm in north-central Pennsylvania and sell all of the renewable electricity it generates to Delaware Municipal Electric Corp. (DEMEC) under a 25-year agreement.

Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy, will build, own and operate the 69-megawatt (MW) Laurel Hill Windpower Project in Lycoming County. The wind farm will consist of 30 Siemens wind turbines, each capable of generating 2.3 MW. Laurel Hill will be capable of generating enough electricity to power more than 20,000 homes.

Duke Energy Renewables started construction of the Laurel Hill Windpower Project in August and plans to achieve commercial operation by September 2012.

“The remarkable growth we’ve seen in Duke Energy Renewables’ wind and solar business lines this year is a testament to customers like DEMEC that understand the long-term value of affordable renewable energy,” said Duke Energy Renewables President Greg Wolf.

“DEMEC is a leader in the development and support of renewable energy,” said DEMEC President and CEO Patrick E. McCullar. “We've been providing green energy products to our members since 2004, well before the Delaware Renewable Portfolio Standard became law. The Laurel Hill Windpower Project is the perfect addition to our expanding renewables portfolio. We look forward to our partnership with Duke Energy Renewables and value the experience they bring as wind farm developers and managers.”

Laurel Hill will be Duke Energy Renewables’ second wind farm in Pennsylvania. The company already owns and operates the 70-MW North Allegheny Windpower Project in Blair and Cambria counties, roughly 95 miles east of Pittsburgh. Duke Energy Renewables acquired the North Allegheny wind farm from Gamesa Energy USA in May 2009.

Earlier this year, Duke Energy Renewables announced plans to build the 168-MW Ironwood Windpower Project in Ford County, Kan., the 131-MW Cimarron II Windpower Project in Gray County, Kan., and the 200-MW Los Vientos I Windpower Project in Willacy County, Texas. The company also completed the purchase of the 20-MW Shirley Windpower Project in Glenmore, Wis., in August. Since 2007, Duke Energy has invested more than $1.75 billion to grow its commercial wind and solar power businesses.

About Duke Energy Renewables
Duke Energy Renewables, part of Duke Energy’s Commercial Businesses, is a leader in developing innovative wind and solar energy solutions for customers throughout the United States. The company’s growing portfolio of commercial renewable assets includes 10 wind farms and four solar farms in operation in six states, totaling approximately 1,000 megawatts in electric-generating capacity.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.

About DEMEC
DEMEC was formed in 1979 as a public corporation constituted as a Joint Action Agency and a wholesale electric utility. DEMEC is headquartered in Smyrna, Delaware, and represents and serves the nine municipal electric distribution utilities located in the State of Delaware. Members of DEMEC are the cities and towns of Clayton, Dover, Lewes, Middletown, Milford, New Castle, Newark, Seaford and Smyrna. Collectively, they serve over 100,000 residents and businesses.

The continued goal and mission of DEMEC is to advance the principles of public power and provide competitive, reliable energy supply and services to its member’s communities at the lowest possible cost.

In addition to the Laurel Hill Windpower Project, DEMEC has agreements for wind power from the proposed BlueWater Wind Project (off the coast of Delaware), agreements for solar power from the 10 MW Dover Delaware Sun Park Project, as well as pending agreements in several other renewable energy generation projects.

More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.demecinc.net.

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