The Sunstone Solar project, Oregon's largest, got approval for construction. A 1.2GW facility with energy storage, set to double the state's solar capacity, aims to power 240k homes. Construction starts in 2025, targets full operation by 2028. Economic benefits and job creation expected.
Photo courtesy of Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council
A map of the proposed Sunstone Solar project.
The Sunstone Solar project, a 1.2 gigawatt solar and energy storage facility that would become the United States' largest solar power facility, was approved for construction by the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council, newsweek.com reported.
Developer Pine Gate Renewables announced that the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council approved the project for construction in Morrow County about 15 miles northeast of Lexington, after a Nov. 14 hearing. Overall, Oregon has 1.9 gigawatts of solar power facilities, meaning the new project almost doubles the state's capacity, according to newsweek.com.
The project will see 9.5 mi. of transmission lines constructed, paired with advanced battery storage, enabling an energy supply at all times. The size and scope surpass all previous solar installations in the United States, making it a milestone in the transition toward cleaner energy sources. Oregon has prioritized that with ambitious renewable energy targets.
Other facilities to be constructed include an interconnection substation, up to six collector substations, up to four operations and maintenance buildings and roads, perimeter fencing and gates, according to the siting council.
Construction is expected to begin in 2025, with full operation anticipated by 2028. The facility will cover approximately 7,000 acres and is projected to power more than 240,000 homes. The addition of battery storage units will provide resilience against power outages and fluctuations, a crucial feature in stabilizing renewable energy grids, newsweek.com reported.
The project is expected to generate significant economic benefits for Oregon, including job creation. In addition, it will contribute to Oregon's goal of sourcing all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2040, newsweek.com reported.
According to U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, solar energy constituted nearly 16 percent of new electricity generation capacity in the first half of 2024. Oregon sources around 4 percent of its electricity from solar, which powers about 250,000 homes.
Maggie Sasser, Pine Gate Renewables' vice president of government & external affairs, told Newsweek that the project was built with the ground up with the clean energy in mind, saying: "The project will be built in stages and construction is slated to begin in 2026. Pine Gate worked extensively with Morrow County, Oregon, and other stakeholders to ensure the Sunstone Solar project is a beneficial investment in the area with broad community support.
"The project represents well over a billion dollars in clean energy infrastructure investment and a cost-effective supply of clean power to meet the growing electricity demand in the Pacific Northwest."
In a statement, Pine Gate Renewables CEO Ben Catt said: "Oregon's energy facility permitting process is one of the most rigorous in the entire country. The recent unanimous permit approval is a testament to the way our team worked with stakeholders t to provide a win-win for Oregon and the Morrow County community."
Pine Gate Renewables owns and manages 17 other solar power projects in Oregon and more than 100 around the United States. The company was established in 2016 and has secured more than $7 billion in investments and project financing, according to carboncredits.com.
The largest solar power facility in the United States at present is the DeGiovanni Franklin Solar Plant in New Jersey, which has a capacity of 983 megawatts per hour.
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