RALEIGH – Twelve schools across the Carolinas have been selected as finalists in the Progress Energy SunSense^SM schools program. Five of the finalists will receive solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in the coming months, as part of a partnership between Progress Energy Carolinas and the Carolina Hurricanes Kids ’N Community Foundation.

This hands-on educational program for middle school and high school students supports innovative ways to use and conserve energy and encourages students to develop innovative energy solutions. Finalists were chosen from nearly 30 applicants.

The Progress Energy SunSense schools program finalists are:

North Carolina

Asheville Middle School – Asheville
North Buncombe High School – Weaverville
Owen Middle School – Swannanoa
South Brunswick High School – Southport
Williston Middle School – Wilmington
Roland-Grise Middle School – Wilmington
Goldsboro High School/Wayne School of Engineering – Goldsboro
Jordan Matthews High School – Siler City
Daniels Middle School – Raleigh
Holly Springs High School – Holly Springs

South Carolina

South Florence High School – Florence
West Florence High School – Florence

Finalist schools will participate in a professional solar site evaluation and will be required to complete an energy project to be judged in regional competitions in December. Students from five winning schools will receive a permanent 2-kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) demonstration system, valued at more than $20,000, to be installed at their school. The systems will be installed by Argand Solar, a North Carolina-based renewable energy company.

The Progress Energy Foundation will select winning schools by Dec. 16.

The Progress Energy SunSense schools program will provide online information about each of the installed systems as part of the project. Students and the public can monitor the electricity output of each project and learn more about the capabilities of solar PV technologies.

Funding for the program was provided through grants from the Progress Energy Foundation and the Carolina Hurricanes Kids ’N Community Foundation, which is affiliated with the National Hockey League team.

Additional information on the Progress Energy SunSense schools program is available at www.progress-energy.com/sunsense.

About the Carolina Hurricanes Kids ‘N Community Foundation

The Carolina Hurricanes Kids ‘N Community Foundation provides much needed funding to children’s charities and education programs throughout North Carolina. The Foundation has funded scholarship programs, youth hockey, educational and literacy efforts, children’s health programs, the arts and other children’s related initiatives. Annually, the Foundation provides cash and in-kind contributions of more than $1 million to charitable and educational programs in North Carolina. Every member of the Hurricanes organization is actively involved in community activities and the Hurricanes take great pride in the ability to have a positive impact in our state.

About Progress Energy

Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN), headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 500 energy company with more than 22,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. Progress Energy includes two major electric utilities that serve approximately 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. The company has earned the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Award, the industry's highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence, and was the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for customer service. The company is pursuing a balanced strategy for a secure energy future, which includes aggressive energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system. Progress Energy celebrated a century of service in 2008. Visit the company’s Web site at www.progress-energy.com.