Duke Energy outlined plans to spend $103 billion over five years to expand generation and grid capacity, citing data center demand as affordability pressures intensify. The utility expects to add about 20 gigawatts of new power, serving both household needs and major hyperscaler customers such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta. The company’s growth spending is colliding with political debate over utility rates, with North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein criticizing requested hikes and increased fuel costs as shifting costs to residents. Duke’s leadership argues that hyperscalers are funding their own infrastructure under its data center arrangements. For universities planning new research computing and AI initiatives, the development signals where power availability, rate design, and permitting friction could shape timelines for data-heavy academic projects and partnerships.