Storage

Arizona utility breaks ground on state’s largest battery storage project

Arizona utility breaks ground on state’s largest battery storage project
(Officials at a groundbreaking ceremony April 12 for the Sierra Estrella battery project. Photo by Salt River Project.)

Construction is expected to begin soon on a 250 MW/1000 MWh battery storage project in Tolleson, Arizona.

Officials from Salt River Project (SRP), Plus Power, and the City of Avondale held a groundbreaking this week for the Sierra Estrella Energy Storage facility, which would be the largest standalone battery facility in Arizona once online in 2024.

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Storage from the project will serve SRP customers during times of peak electricity demand and facilitate more renewable integration. The project will use Tesla lithium-ion batteries.

Sierra Estrella was one of two battery storage projects SRP announced with Plus Power in the Fall of 2022. The other, a 90 MW/360 MWh project called Superstition Energy Storage, is expected to be built in Gilbert, Arizona.

A rendering of the Sierra Estrella Energy Storage facility, which is expected to be built in Tolleson, Arizona. Photo by Salt River Project.

SRP has a goal of surpassing 1,100 MW in battery storage by 2024.

The utility aims to reduce emissions (from 2005 levels) by more than 65 percent by 2035 and 90 percent by 2050. As a part of that plan, SRP will have retired approximately 2,600 MW of coal-fired generation by 2032.

Originally published by Power Engineering

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