Duke Energy Florida has completed construction of the Bailey Mill Solar Center near Monticello in Jefferson County. The site’s 163,000 solar panels are expected to generate enough electricity at peak production to power approximately 15,000 homes.

The project is expected to save customers an estimated $250 million in fuel costs over the site’s service lifetime.

As Florida’s population and electricity demand grow, solar facilities such as Bailey Mill add generating capacity to the state’s electric grid. Solar generation can reduce the amount of fuel, including natural gas, needed to produce electricity. Because Duke Energy Florida’s fuel costs are passed directly to customers through their bills, reducing fuel use can lower those costs.

At peak output, Bailey Mill is expected to displace 1.2 million cubic feet of natural gas, 15,000 barrels of fuel oil and 12,000 tons of coal annually.

Duke Energy Florida estimates that its 2 million customers save a combined $1 billion in fuel costs over the service lifetimes of every four solar sites completed.

Duke Energy Florida Plans Additional Solar Projects

Duke Energy Florida owns, operates and maintains more than 25 solar sites across Florida, with a combined generating capacity of approximately 1,850 megawatts.

Bailey Mill is one of five solar sites the company has completed since 2025. Duke Energy Florida plans to complete 11 additional solar sites before the end of 2028.

The company projects that its utility-scale solar generating capacity will exceed 5,500 megawatts by the end of 2033.

“The launch of Bailey Mill is another step toward lowering long-term energy costs for our customers,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “Every solar site we bring online reduces the amount of fuel we need to purchase, and those savings go directly to our customers’ bills. We’re grateful to the Jefferson County community for partnering with us to make this project possible.”