Invenergy, the largest privately-held developer, owner, and operator of clean energy solutions, today announced that the Yuma Solar Energy Center, a 70-MW solar and 70-MW storage project, has reached commercial operations. This is Invenergy’s first solar facility to reach commercial operations in Arizona.
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Located in Yuma County, Arizona, the Yuma Solar Energy Center generates enough electricity to power more than 21,000 American homes. The project supported over 250 jobs during construction and has created 6 local full-time positions.
“Starting commercial operations at our first Arizona solar facility is a significant achievement and I congratulate the Yuma Solar team and our strong community partners for building a multifaceted energy solution for the State,” said Jim Shield, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Invenergy. “We thank APS for their continued collaboration as we invest in communities to meet growing consumer demand with cleaner, more reliable, affordable energy.”
Yuma Solar is contracted to provide power to Arizona Public Services (APS). Invenergy and APS have a long-standing relationship, having added over 250 megawatts to the state’s clean energy capacity in the last two years. Most recently, Invenergy and APS celebrated the electrification of the El Sol Energy Storage Center in Youngtown and the groundbreaking of the Hashknife Solar Energy Center in Navajo County.
“APS resource planners prepare years in advance to meet our customers’ growing energy needs with reliable and affordable service. As we head into another hot Arizona summer, the Yuma Solar Energy Center project will be a valuable addition to our diverse resource mix and will help keep air conditioners running and the lights on when customers need energy the most,” said Brian Cole, APS Vice President of Resource Management.
“This exciting milestone for Yuma Solar Energy Center is an important component of the ‘all of the above’ approach necessary to meet our energy demands of the future, ” said Arizona Corporation Commission Chairman Kevin Thompson. “Private developers of these types of projects provide a needed benefit to our grid that saves ratepayers money while spurring local economic growth and helps position Arizona as a continued leader in renewable energy.”
The Yuma Solar Energy Center is Invenergy’s 11th energy storage center to reach commercial operations in Arizona. Statewide, Invenergy invests over $2.2 million annually in local communities through land costs and lease payments, local tax revenue, and project-generated wages and benefits.
