New Solar and Battery Project Planned in Pinal County to Help Power Valley Homes
A new solar and battery storage project planned for Pinal County could soon help provide electricity for thousands of homes across the Valley, including many SRP customers in San Tan Valley and nearby communities.
Salt River Project (SRP) recently announced an agreement with energy company Invenergy to build the SunDog Energy Center, a project that will add 200 megawatts of solar power and 200 megawatts of battery storage to the electric grid.
The project will be located in Pinal County and is expected to produce enough electricity to power up to 45,000 homes in the Valley.
SRP serves about 1.1 million electricity customers across the Phoenix area, including many residents in San Tan Valley and other parts of Pinal County. As the region continues to grow, the demand for electricity is also increasing.
SRP says it plans to more than double the size of its power system over the next 10 years to keep up with that growth.
The SunDog Energy Center will combine solar panels with battery storage. During the day, solar panels will produce electricity from sunlight. The battery system will store extra energy so it can be used later, such as in the evening when people are using more electricity at home.
SRP officials say this type of project helps keep electricity reliable, affordable, and available when customers need it.
The project is also expected to bring economic benefits to Pinal County. Invenergy estimates the SunDog Energy Center could generate more than $209 million in local tax revenue, land costs, and lease payments.
Construction of the facility is expected to create between 200 and 400 jobs during peak construction.
This will be Invenergy’s first operating facility in Pinal County, although the company has worked in Arizona for several years. Across the state, Invenergy has developed or is building projects that include 545 megawatts of solar power and 736 megawatts of energy storage.
The company has also supported several organizations in Pinal County since 2018, including United Way of Pinal County and Pinal Partnership.
SRP already has more than 3,000 megawatts of carbon-free energy resources serving its customers. This includes over 1,400 megawatts of solar power and more than 1,100 megawatts of battery storage currently helping power homes and businesses across the Valley.
More solar and storage projects are also being planned as SRP prepares for future growth in the region.
For communities like San Tan Valley, where population growth continues to increase, projects like the SunDog Energy Center are designed to help ensure the Valley has enough electricity to support homes, businesses, and future development.