The Green River Energy Center will supply power for PacifiCorp.
Salt Lake City-based renewable energy developer rPlus Energies says it has secured over $1 billion in financing for the 800 MW Green River Energy Center (GREC) in Emery County, Utah, one of the largest solar-plus-storage projects in the country.
Originally conceived as a 400 MW solar facility with 200 MW of on-site storage, the GREC has expanded its storage component due to the requirements of the project’s primary off taker, electric power company PacifiCorp. The solar facility will now incorporate 400 MW of battery storage, which is expected to supply 1,600 MWh of electricity.
Increasingly, storage is seen as an important component in utility-scale solar development projects. With GREC, rPlus assumes the role of owner operator of one of its projects. The company has a power purchase agreement with PacifiCorp.
“The Green River Energy Center marks rPlus Energies’ debut as an independent power producer,” said company president and CEO Luigi Resta.
rPlus says the construction debt financing for GREC is being supplied by Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, KeyBanc Capital Markets, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Truist Securities Inc., and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, with MUFG acting as administrative agent.
Engineering, procurement and construction services will be provided by Sundt Renewables. GREC will join a number of other rPlus projects in the state, including the 200 MW Appaloosa I solar project, the 80 MW Three Peaks Solar facility, 80 MW Graphite Solar project and 80 MW Utah Red Hills Renewable Park.
rPlus says GREC is expected to supply approximately 500 construction jobs, with a significant percentage to be local hires.
rPlus Energies, a subsidiary of the Gardner Group since 1976, develops utility-scale power plants using renewable resources. The company has projects across 15 market areas in the U.S. in active development including solar, wind, pumped storage hydro, and solar-plus-battery.
