Duke Energy Florida opens 74.9-MW Bailey Mill Solar Center in Jefferson County, with $250 million in expected customer savings

Duke Energy Florida has completed the Bailey Mill Solar Center near Monticello in Jefferson County. The new facility includes 163,000 solar panels across a site with 74.9 megawatts of capacity, enough to supply electricity for about 15,000 homes when conditions are favorable.

Solar project begins operating in Jefferson County

Bailey Mill generates carbon-free power without noise, turbines, exhaust or moving parts. It stands in contrast to the gas-fired plants it will help support. Located near Monticello, the county seat of Jefferson County in North Florida, the project brings utility-scale solar to a largely rural part of the state.

Although the site covers a substantial amount of land, its 74.9-megawatt peak output means Bailey Mill adds meaningful generation to Duke Energy Florida’s grid without using fuel. The production helps justify the space it occupies.

For every four solar sites the company completes, its 2 million customers collectively save an estimated $1 billion in fuel costs over those sites’ lifetimes.

Lower fuel use is the main financial benefit

From a customer perspective, the case for solar is largely financial. When sunlight produces electricity, Duke Energy Florida does not need to purchase as much natural gas, fuel oil or coal on the open market, and that is where the savings for customers come from.

At peak production, Bailey Mill is expected to offset 1.2 million cubic feet of natural gas, 15,000 barrels of fuel oil and 12,000 tons of coal each year. Each unit of fuel avoided is one less unit the utility must buy at market rates.

Those fuel costs are passed through to customers on monthly bills, so reductions in fuel purchases can lead to lower charges relatively quickly.

Duke Energy Florida state president Melissa Seixas said, “Every solar site we bring online reduces the amount of fuel we need to purchase, and those savings go directly to our customers’ bills.” She also thanked the Jefferson County community for supporting the project.

Expected lifetime savings total $250 million

Over its operating life, Bailey Mill is projected to save customers $250 million in fuel costs. That figure is an estimate rather than a guarantee, since fuel prices fluctuate, but it reflects the long-term value of electricity that does not require fuel.

The company points to a broader benchmark: for every four solar sites completed, its 2 million customers are estimated to save $1 billion in fuel costs over the lifetime of those projects. Bailey Mill is part of that larger savings effort, with the benefits flowing through lower fuel charges on monthly bills.

Part of a wider solar buildout

Bailey Mill is one of five solar sites Duke Energy Florida has completed since the start of 2025, showing the utility is moving steadily through its expansion plan.

More projects are planned ahead. Before the end of 2028, Duke Energy Florida expects to bring 11 additional solar sites online, adding to a portfolio that already includes more than 25 sites across Florida with a combined capacity of about 1,850 megawatts. Looking further ahead, the company expects more than 5,500 megawatts of utility-scale solar to be operating in Florida by the end of 2033.

Florida’s population growth helps support that investment, since more residents and businesses increase electricity demand. Solar allows the utility to add capacity without taking on the fuel price volatility that comes with gas generation.

What the project means for customers

The Bailey Mill Solar Center is now operating near Monticello in Jefferson County, adding 74.9 megawatts of carbon-free generation. Its 163,000 panels can produce enough electricity at peak to serve the equivalent of about 15,000 homes, and the site operates quietly with no direct emissions.

The expected $250 million in lifetime fuel savings comes from a straightforward process: solar generation reduces the need to buy fuel, and those lower costs can appear on customer bills. At peak output, the project offsets 1.2 million cubic feet of natural gas, 15,000 barrels of fuel oil and 12,000 tons of coal each year.

It also fits into a much larger expansion. Duke Energy Florida operates more than 25 solar facilities with roughly 1,850 megawatts of combined capacity, and 11 more sites are planned before 2028. By 2033, the company is targeting more than 5,500 megawatts of utility-scale solar across Florida.