Entergy Texas Buying 150 MW Solar Energy
Soon, customers of Entergy Texas will have access to a cleaner energy source located in Polk County, Texas. Longroad Energy, a renewable energy developer, owner, and operator based in the US, has announced the financial close and start of construction for the Umbriel Solar project. This photovoltaic project will provide 150 MWac (202 MWdc) of power.
A long-term Power Purchase Agreement has been established by Entergy Texas for the entire power output of Umbriel. This output is capable of powering over 30,000 households.
"Umbriel marks a major milestone, as it will be our first solar resource to come online, further diversifying our portfolio," said Abigail Weaver, Entergy Texas director of resource planning and market operations. "Our communities are increasingly asking for clean-energy offerings, and this facility will provide affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for years to come."
The renewable energy produced by Umbriel is estimated to have the same impact as avoiding around 250,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions every year. This is equivalent to removing roughly 55,000 cars from the road annually during the facility's operation.
The project will be built by McCarthy Building Companies and is anticipated to be commercially operational by the end of this year.
“Texas continues to be an attractive market for solar development, and we are pleased to achieve financial close and begin construction on Umbriel,” said Adam Horwitz, VP of origination and development operations at Longroad Energy. “Umbriel’s closing marks over 1.7 gigawatts of total wind and solar projects developed, financed and built in Texas by the Longroad team.”
Umbriel Solar will also offer a renewable energy resource to Entergy Texas customers through a green energy tariff. This programme, called the Green Future Option (GFO), is voluntary and allows customers to benefit from solar energy generation without the obligation of owning solar panels. The Public Utility Commission of Texas is currently reviewing GFO, and the program will be available once it receives PUCT approval and the necessary resources are available.
Entergy Corporation announced its plan to triple its renewable energy portfolio within a three-year period in 2021. The company aims to have 11,000 megawatts of renewable energy generation by 2030. Umbriel Solar is an important milestone in the company's ongoing transformation of its power generation portfolio, which aims to provide customers with cleaner, more efficient, and diverse sources of electricity while maintaining affordable rates. For more information about Entergy's renewable energy growth, please visit entergy.com/renewable-energy.
Source: Entergy
