400 MW solar, 1.6 GWh battery storage project breaks ground in Utah

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 generation capacity and 400 MW/1.6 GWh of battery energy storage, making it one of the largest solar-plus-storage hybrid projects planned in the United States. Once complete, expected in 2026, the facility will deliver electricity to utility PacificCorp under a power purchase agreement.

Trade body the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said Utah has 3.5 GW of solar generation capacity installed, meaning the Green River project would represent an 11% increase in the state’s solar capacity.

Sundt Construction, a national contractor with a strong presence in the Mountain West region, is serving as engineering, procurement, and construction services 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 state governor Spencer Cox, at the groundbreaking event. “This project is being built in rural Utah, by rural Utahns, and for all of Utah.”

The large project began after securing more than $1 billion of loans 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.

The SEIA reports Utah has enough solar to power an estimated 651,080 homes. The PV-friendly state sources roughly 16% of its electricity generation from the sun. The SEIA forecasts another 6.1 GW will be installed in Utah through 2029, a figure which would almost triple the state’s cumulative installed capacity.

From pv magazine USA.