Salt River Project has commissioned its first utility-owned solar plant, a 55 MW facility at the Copper Crossing Energy and Research Center that marks a pivot from the utility’s traditional reliance on third-party power purchase agreements. Located in Pinal County, the project occupies 270 acres of land and is designed to act as a high-stakes testing ground for photovoltaic hardware durability in extreme desert environments.
By owning and operating the asset directly, the utility aims to gain granular data on hardware performance to inform a planned 2 GW solar expansion by 2035.
The site features a diverse mix of hardware, including three different types of solar panels, three distinct inverter technologies, and three separate solar tracking systems. This side-by-side configuration allows engineers to monitor how various materials and mechanical designs withstand the intense heat and dust of the Sonoran Desert.
The project spans approximately 270 acres of SRP-owned land, strategically sited adjacent to the existing 69-kV Abel Substation and the original Copper Crossing Solar Ranch to streamline grid interconnection. This footprint allows for a robust energy output capable of powering between 11,000 and 12,375 average Arizona homes annually.
The solar project is part of a larger integrated energy complex designed to address the intermittency of renewables through a phased technology rollout. The array is supported by an existing 99 MW flexible natural gas facility capable of rapid starts, stabilizing the local grid when cloud cover impacts output.
Additionally, the utility has deployed high-resolution sky cameras across the site to provide real-time imagery of cloud movement for more precise forecasting and ramping adjustments.
Looking toward 2027, the site will host two pilot projects for non-lithium energy storage to further the utility’s goal of reducing carbon intensity. These include an iron-flow battery system and an organic flow battery pilot, both targeting 10-hour discharge durations.
The launch of the Copper Crossing project is a cornerstone of the broader goal to reduce carbon intensity by 82% by 2035. Performance data gathered at this site will be critical in selecting the hardware for the utility’s future multi-gigawatt procurement rounds as it moves toward a net-zero emissions target by 2050.
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