Mortenson constructs 108-MW solar project for Texas utility

Texas energy company Vistra‘s Emerald Grove Solar Facility in Crane County, Texas, is online and generating electricity.

Situated on 1,100 acres in Crane County, the 108-MW Emerald Grove project is comprised of 316,416 photovoltaic solar panels that can generate enough electricity to power approximately 54,000 average homes in the ERCOT market during normal grid conditions.

“Emerald Grove is coming online in time to power Texas through what’s predicted to be a record-breaking summer for energy use,” said Jim Burke, Vistra president and chief financial officer. “Vistra’s diverse set of power generation facilities allow us to combine battery storage and renewables, such as Emerald Grove, with dispatchable generation to provide lower-carbon, reliable electricity while maintaining grid resilience.”

Emerald Grove Solar Facility uses solar panels from First Solar. The project was engineered and installed by Mortenson.

Emerald Grove is the third of seven new renewable and energy storage projects Vistra is bringing online across Texas over the next few years, and the latest addition to the company’s portfolio of zero-carbon power generation assets, known as Vistra Zero.

Vistra Zero projects completed and online in Spring 2022 include:

• Brightside Solar Facility, Live Oak County, TX – 50 MW
• DeCordova Energy Storage Facility, Hood County, TX – 260 MW/260 MWh
• Emerald Grove Solar Facility, Crane County, TX – 108 MW

Together with its existing emission-free generation assets, these projects bring the company’s zero-carbon Vistra Zero portfolio to nearly 3,300 MW online, with plans to grow to more than 7,300 MW by 2026.

News item from Vistra

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Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/06/mortenson-constructs-solar-project-for-texas-utility/