Ørsted and SRP Launch 300-MW Eleven Mile Solar Center with Battery Storage in Arizona

Ørsted and SRP have launched the 300-MW Eleven Mile Solar Center, paired with a 300-MW battery energy storage system, boosting Arizona's clean energy efforts. Learn more about this $1 billion renewable energy investment.

Ørsted and Salt River Project (SRP) have officially launched the Eleven Mile Solar Center, a 300-MW solar project paired with a 300-MW/1,200-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Pinal County, Arizona. The project is part of Ørsted’s $20 billion investment in renewable energy infrastructure across the United States, delivering clean, reliable energy to businesses, homes, and Meta's data center in Mesa, Arizona.

Economic and Environmental Benefits of Eleven Mile Solar Center

The Eleven Mile Solar Center, SRP’s largest solar and BESS co-located project, represents a significant $1 billion investment in Arizona’s clean energy future. This project will generate approximately $80 million in tax revenue for local public services, created over 1,000 construction jobs, and will support additional roles in operations and maintenance for years to come.

Arizona Corporate Commissioner Lea Marquez Peterson highlighted the project’s benefits, stating, "The Eleven Mile project exemplifies how clean energy can help diversify our resources while ensuring reliability for the local grid."

Meeting Arizona’s Growing Energy Needs

Arizona’s electricity demand is rapidly increasing due to the rise of data centers and the reshoring of American manufacturing. David Hardy, Group EVP and CEO of Ørsted Americas, emphasized the importance of pairing solar with battery storage, saying, "Solar energy paired with battery energy storage will be critical to the reliable delivery of power as electricity demand grows." This project is poised to meet the increasing energy needs of the Phoenix metropolitan area, especially as SRP phases out 1,300 MW of coal resources in pursuit of decarbonization goals.

Supporting Local Communities and Sustainable Development

Eleven Mile Solar Center, in collaboration with U.S. suppliers like First Solar and Fluence NEXTracker, has not only bolstered clean energy efforts but also brought substantial economic benefits to the region. Eloy Mayor Micah Powell praised the project’s community impact, stating, "This energy project is a first of its kind in our region and will have a huge impact on energy reliability for our local area."

SRP's Commitment to Clean Energy Expansion

With the addition of Eleven Mile, SRP now has nearly 3,000 MW of carbon-free energy, including over 1,400 MW of solar power, and nearly 1,300 MW of battery and pumped hydro storage. SRP’s Associate General Manager, Bobby Olsen, expressed the importance of the project, saying, "The energy and storage capacity provided by Eleven Mile plays an important role in helping meet SRP’s ambitious decarbonization goals while providing affordable and reliable energy to our customers."