Construction begins on solar plant in Arizona to support Intel’s facility

Construction is underway on a new solar plant in Pinal County, Arizona, that will deliver 100 megawatts (MW) of solar generation to the Intel Corporation’s facility in Chandler, Ariz.

The project, called East Line Solar, is a collaboration between Salt River Project (SRP) and sPower, a renewable energy Independent Power Producer (IPP). SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility. It is the largest provider of electricity in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving more than 1 million customers.

The East Line Solar project will bring $10 million of tax revenue over the next 25 years and up to 350 construction jobs to Pinal County.

“Intel is proud to support new, renewable energy built in Arizona, and we are looking forward to East Line Solar supplying our growing Arizona manufacturing operations,” Marty Sedler, Intel’s director of global utilities and infrastructure, said. “For more than a decade, Intel has been one of the top voluntary corporate purchasers of green power, currently supplying our US and European facilities with 100% green power. Our goal is to achieve 100% renewable energy use across our global manufacturing operations by 2030, and projects like East Line Solar help make green power more accessible to all.”

East Line Solar is expected to begin operations in December of 2020.

“sPower has proven its commitment to renewable energy for a sustainable future, and the City is fortunate to partner with the sPower team to expand in one of the region’s fastest-growing industrial and technology corridors,” Rick Miller, city manager, City of Coolidge, said. “It is also gratifying to have community partners like sPower that give back to the community and work with us on our efforts to better the environment for our citizens.”

Thirty-three companies have signed up to receive 300 MW of solar energy provided from Arizona-based solar plants, including the East Line Solar facility.

“This is a scenario that works well for all involved,” SRP Associate General Manager & Chief Customer Executive Jim Pratt said. “With the East Line Solar project, we are supporting a great, locally based partner, Intel, meet its sustainability goals. We also experience many other benefits associated with utility-scale solar investment, like job creation and expansion in an environmentally sensible, growing industry.”

Salt Lake City-based sPower owns and operates more than 150 renewable generation systems across the United States.