IPPs BrightNight and Cordelio have announced a new power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 300MW solar and 1,200MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) facility with utility Arizona Public Service (APS), in Arizona, US.
Located in Yuma County, Arizona, the Pioneer clean energy centre will create what BrightNight says is hundreds of construction and operation jobs, as well as substantial tax revenue for the local community. The facility is expected to begin construction in September 2025 with commercial operation expected April of 2027.
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BrightNight is headquartered in Florida and specialises in hybrid renewables-plus-storage and standalone battery storage projects. The company secured a US$440 million investment commitment from Goldman Sachs Alternatives in August 2024.
BrightNight also has projects around the world. In October of last year, the company received the green light from the Victoria government, Australia, for its 360MW Mortlake solar-plus-storage project.
In the same month, Energy-Storage.news reported that BrightNight was seeking approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) for a Certificate of Environmental Capability (CEC) to construct a generation tie-in transmission line in La Paz County, Arizona (Premium access article), to connect its Eagle Eye solar-plus-storage project to the local grid.
Headquartered in Toronto, CA, Cordelio owns and manages more than 1,200MW of renewable energy assets across North America, specialising in large-scale solar PV and wind.
The company previously partnered with BrightNight on Box Canyon, a 300MW solar PV and 600MWh BESS project in Pinal County, Arizona. A PPA was signed for the output of this project in July 2022.
Arizona has a growing electric demand. Electric load in the Phoenix Metropolitan area is forecast to continue growing rapidly. According to the Arizona Corporation Commission, the state set a record high for peak energy demand during heatwaves in early August and July of 2024. As the state continues to grow, energy demands will follow.
APS has been part of multiple offtake agreements for clean energy projects in Arizona, signing a PPA with US developer Avantus for a 100MW solar PV project in Pinal County, Arizona. Prior to the PPA with Avantus, APS signed a tolling agreement with Strata Clean Energy for the 100MW/400MWh White Tank energy storage project in Avondale, Arizona.
APS also signed a 20-year tolling agreement with Strata in May 2023 for a 255MW/1GWh BESS. That project was the result of an All-Source request for proposals (RFP) conducted by APS in 2022.
Brian Cole, vice president of resource management at APS said of the recent PPA with BrightNight and Cordelio: “At APS, we thoughtfully evaluate and select projects that bring the most long-term value to our customers.”
“The Pioneer Clean Energy Center is part of our expanding solar power and battery energy storage portfolio developed to meet growing demand with reliable service. Projects like Pioneer will help deliver cost-competitive energy to Arizona’s communities over the next several decades.”
