Duke Energy Florida has announced that its battery facility in Micanopy, Alachua County, is now capable of providing backup power during storms. The 8.25-megawatt lithium-based battery can supply electricity to approximately 800 customers for up to eight hours, aiming to prevent outages. This marks the first site in Duke Energy Florida’s portfolio with such functionality.
The Micanopy facility was initially placed in service in August 2022 and began operating with “islanding” capabilities in January 2025. Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, explained that an “islanded” battery facility serves a community similarly to how a generator serves a single home or business. She noted, “This innovative technology helps keep the lights on for our customers in and around Micanopy when hurricanes, or even just afternoon thunderstorms, threaten to interrupt the power.”
Duke Energy Florida owns six battery facilities across the state and plans for most of them to have island mode capabilities by 2026. The company has also invested significantly in creating a more resilient electric grid for its two million customers across its 35-county service area. Efforts include hardening over 40,000 power poles and placing half of its primary power lines underground.
Moreover, over 75% of Duke Energy Florida’s customers benefit from self-healing technology that identifies outages and reroutes power swiftly. This technology saved over 300 million outage minutes during the 2024 Hurricane Season alone.
Duke Energy Florida is part of Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), one of America’s largest energy holding companies based in Charlotte, N.C., serving millions across several states with both electric and natural gas utilities.
For further information about their services and innovations powering their energy transition, visit duke-energy.com or follow them on social media platforms like X and LinkedIn.
