Construction begins on 400 MW solar and storage project in Utah

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Project developer rPlus Energies held a groundbreaking event in Utah to initiate the construction of Green River Energy Center, a large utility-scale solar facility.

The project has 400 MW of solar and 400 MW / 1,600 MWh of battery energy storage, making it among the largest solar and storage hybrid projects in the United States. Once complete, expected in 2026, the facility will deliver electricity to utility PacificCorp under a power purchase agreement.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Utah has 3.5 GW of solar installed, meaning this project would represent an 11% increase in the state’s total solar capacity.

Sundt Construction, a national contractor with a strong presence in the Mountain West region, is serving as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the project. Elite Solar will supply the solar modules, and Tesla will provide the battery storage system.

“Today, we’re not just breaking ground—we’re building a future of affordable, abundant energy in Utah,” said Utah Governor Spencer Cox at the event. “This project is being built in rural Utah, by rural Utahns, and for all of Utah.”

The large project commenced after securing over $1 billion in debt financing earlier in 2024. It is expected to create 500 temporary construction jobs, with many expected to be filled by local workers.

rPlus Energies is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah and is backed by Sandbrook Capital and Gardner Group.

SEIA reports Utah has enough solar to power an estimated 651,080 homes. The solar-friendly state sources roughly 16% of its electricity generation from the sun. SEIA forecasts another 6.1 GW will be installed in Utah over the next five years, nearly tripling cumulative total installed capacity.

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