Estuary Power, a majority woman-owned renewable energy developer and producer, closed a $340 million financing package for its Escape Solar and Storage project in Lincoln County, Nevada.

Escape Solar and Storage has 185 MW of solar capacity and 400 MWh of battery energy storage capacity. The project’s construction is scheduled to be completed in Q3 of this year, according to Bechtel, which will design and construct the project.

The facility will consist of about 389,000 bifacial solar panels across the site’s 900 acres.

Several U.S.-based companies are involved in constructing the project, which include:

  • Bechtel Infrastructure and Power Corporation, which will construct the project’s solar arrays;
  • Dashiell Corporation, which will construct the substation and certain transmission upgrades; and
  • Tesla, which will supply and install the battery energy storage system.

The project’s solar modules will be made in China by JinkoSolar.

Escape has long-term agreements to supply power to:

  • 115 MW of solar and 400 MWh of battery energy storage to MGM Resorts International;
  • 25 MW of solar to Caesars Entertainment
  • 25 MW of solar to Overton Power District; and
  • 20 MW of solar to Wynn Las Vegas.

When MGM Resorts International, the project’s largest off-taker, signed a power purchase agreement for the project in September, it more than doubled the company’s access to solar electricity. MGM Resorts currently has a goal to procure 100% renewable energy in North America by 2030. As of September, MGM Resorts uses solar power for 90% of its total daytime needs at 11 of its properties on the Las Vegas strip, according to the company.

(See also: Solar goes corporate: the rise of the bilateral PPA)

As the first utility-scale solar project in Lincoln County, Nevada, Escape will generate nearly $80 million in tax revenue for the county over its useful life, Estuary Power said.

The project will interconnect to Lincoln County Power District’s Mesa substation and transmit power over Lincoln County Power District’s and Overton Power District’s systems.

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