NextEra will build a solar + storage project with Salt River Project as offtaker

Construction work could begin this fall and the capital investment is pegged at $600 million. Around 17 full-time jobs will be created once the array enters service.

August 11, 2021 David Wagman

A NextEra solar project in Oregon.

Image: NextEra

NextEra Energy Resources will build the 260 MW Sonoran Energy Center solar project in Buckeye, Arizona, near Phoenix. The project will include 260 MW of energy storage.

Construction work could begin this fall and the capital investment is pegged at $600 million. Around 17 full-time jobs will be created once the array enters service.

Salt River Project contracted for the output from the energy center, which will include one of the largest solar-charged battery projects in Arizona. The utility also contracted for a large-scale solar and battery storage project at Pinal Central Solar Energy Center, and is bringing online a new grid-charged battery storage project at the Agua Fria Generating Station.

Late last year, SRP brought online the 100 MW East Line Solar and the 100 MW Saint Solar. The two utility-scale solar fields serve commercial, municipal, and educational customers who participate in SRP’s Sustainable Energy Offering.

East Line Solar was built by developer sPower and solely serves Intel Corp. with 100 MW of solar energy. Saint Solar was built by NextEra.

This will be the third facility built in Arizona by NextEra Energy Resources. It operates solar projects in 27 states, including the Pinal Energy Storage and Pima Battery Energy Storage System in Arizona. NextEra also has a 99 MW wind farm in Coconino County.

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