Builders and Owners of Renewable Energy Facilities

Requirements for filings submitted to the North Carolina Utilities Commission by the builders and owners of Renewable Energy Facilities

Download a decision diagram of the procedures described below.

Constructing an Electric Generating Facility

If you plan to construct an electric generating facility in North Carolina, please read the two criteria below and click on the appropriate link for guidance on what must be filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

If you plan to construct a facility with a capacity of 2 megawatts up to 80 megawatts and do not plan to primarily generate electricity for your own use, you must file an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). Please download the CPCN Application Form. The filing fee for the CPCN is $250.00, and the check should be payable to "NC Dept. of Commerce/Utilities."

If you do not meet the criteria above but plan to construct a facility with a capacity of less than 2 megawatts or plan to primarily generate electricity for your own use, you must file a Report of Proposed Construction (ROPC). Please download the ROPC Form. The filing fee for the ROPC is $50.00, and the check should be payable to "NC Dept. of Commerce/Utilities."

Please click Filing Instructions for information on what to do with the completed documents.

Creating Renewable Energy Certificates

If you intend to create Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) for use by an electric power supplier in North Carolina, you must file an Application to Register a Renewable Energy Facility (Registration Statement) as required in Rule R8-66. The filing fee for the Registration Statement is $250.00, and the check should be payable to "NC Dept. of Commerce/Utilities."

You do not need to file the Registration Statement for your facility if you:

  • enter into a contract with NCGreenPower, or
  • do not intend to provide RECs.

The following links will provide you with information on facility registration.

  1. NCUC Rule R8-66
  2. Registration Statement Form
  3. RECs used by an electric power supplier in North Carolina are tracked in the North Carolina Renewable Energy Tracking System (NC-RETS)

Filing Instructions

The CPCN/ROPC and the Registration Statement are two separate items with separate purposes. The CPCN/ROPC is necessary for constructing an electric generating facility. The Registration Statement is necessary to provide RECs to an electric power supplier.

You may file a CPCN or ROPC along with the Registration Statement, but please indicate what you are filing in your cover letter.

The most common mistakes are:

  • Listing the installer as the applicant instead of the facility owner
  • Failure to provide a map diagram showing the site boundary and the layout of the equipment and interconnection facilities
  • Failure to have the documentation verified and notarized

Application Fees

The filing fee for the CPCN is $250.00, the ROPC is $50.00, and the Registration Statement is $250.00, and the check should be payable to "NC Dept. of Commerce/Utilities."

How to File Documents

The Public Staff recommends that you file your documents electronically. Filing instructions are available on the Utilities Commission website.

If you are unable to file electronically, please follow the instructions below:

Number of Copies Required:

  • CPCN - Original plus 12 copies
  • ROPC - Original plus 6 copies
  • Registration Statement - Original plus 9 copies

If using private express delivery, please send it to:

Chief Clerk
NC Utilities Commission, 5th Floor 
430 North Salisbury Street 
Raleigh, NC 27603-5918

If using the postal service, please send it to:

Chief Clerk
NC Utilities Commission
4325 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4300

If you have any questions, please contact the Energy Division at 919-733-2267.