Phoenix utility SRP doubles plan for new solar energy by 2025
May 4, 2021, 2:00 PM
The Pinal Central Solar Energy Center consists of 258,000 solar panels on 257 acres of land east of Casa Grande. (Salt River Project Photo)
(Salt River Project Photo)
PHOENIX – Salt River Project, the Phoenix area’s largest electricity provider, is doubling its commitment to new utility-scale solar energy in the coming years.
In 2018, SRP announced plans to add 1,000 megawatts of solar energy to its system by the end of fiscal 2025.
The community-based, not-for-profit public utility, which serves more than 1 million customers, said Monday it would actually add 2,025 megawatts in that timeframe.
“We are proud to be able to honor our commitment to customers by adding new clean energy resources in Arizona to meet our shared sustainability goals,” SRP President David Rousseau said in a press release.
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“We are excited to see what ripple effect this will have in propelling sustainable goals and carbon-reducing measures across our community and state.”
SRP currently has 648 megawatts of solar energy either online or under development. An additional 1,375 megawatts will be secured within the next four years, under the plan announced Monday.
The addition of 2,025 megawatts of solar energy is expected to reduce carbon emissions by the amount produced by more than 2 million passenger cars in year, according to the release.
SRP estimates that 100 megawatts can power about 22,500 homes.
“Doubling solar purchases over the next four years supports our shared goals with our customers to be as proactive as possible to reduce our collective carbon footprint while maintaining our reliability and affordability,” Mike Hummel, SRP CEO and general manager, said in the release.
SRP’s renewable energy customers include the cities of Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe, as well as Arizona State University, Apple, Walmart and Circle K.
