EDP Renewables, Facebook, and Salt River Project’s Partnership Brings a New Solar Park to Arizona
Contract will enable the continued development and eventual construction of the Randolph Solar Park
Arizona, Aug. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EDP Renewables SA (EDPR), through its fully owned subsidiary EDP Renewables North America LLC (EDPR NA), and Salt River Project (SRP) have executed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for 200 megawatts (MW) at the Randolph Solar Park in Pinal County, located in south-central Arizona. This announcement expands on the communication issued on July 27, 2021.
The 200-MW Randolph Solar Park is expected to be operational in 2023 and will provide economic benefits to the local project communities and state of Arizona by way of payments to local landowners and governments, job opportunities during construction and operations, and an increase in money spent at local businesses in the vicinity of the solar park. Randolph will also generate enough electricity to annually power more than 49,000 average Arizona homes and will save approximately 355 million gallons of water a year.
SRP’s investment in the Randolph Solar Park is part of the utility’s expanded commitment to add 2,025 MW of utility-scale solar resources to its power system by 2025 and serve customer energy needs with renewable energy. The entire capacity of the Randolph Solar Park will be dedicated to supporting Facebook‘s newly announced data center in Mesa, Arizona, and to help meet the company’s renewable energy commitments.
“We enjoy working with partners who share our sustainability vision, and we are happy to work with EDP Renewables to support Facebook’s new data center with renewable solar energy,” said Kelly Barr, SRP’s Chief Strategy, Corporate Services and Sustainability Executive. “All organizations involved in this effort are jointly reducing carbon emissions in Arizona and setting a precedent for a green energy future.”
“We are excited to partner with SRP and EDP Renewables to bring new solar energy resources to the Arizona grid. Access to renewable energy and a strong grid were an important part of our decision to build in Mesa,” said Urvi Parekh, Facebook’s Head of Renewable Energy. “Facebook is committed to having a positive impact on local communities, and we’re excited to help bring this additional investment and jobs to the area.”
Randolph is EDP Renewables’ second solar project in Arizona, joining the company’s 158-MW Sun Streams Solar Park in Maricopa County, which EDP Renewables acquired in 2019 and now owns and operates. Randolph is EDP Renewables’ first greenfield development project to execute a PPA in the state, and the company will continue its efforts to add more to its portfolio in Arizona in the coming years.
“Arizona has an abundance of opportunities in the solar space, and this transaction allows EDP Renewables to expand our presence in this growing market,” said Miguel Prado, EDP Renewables North America CEO. “We are eager to break ground next year on this project, which will provide an economic boost to the local economy and sustainable, reliable energy to Arizonians.”
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About EDP Renewables North America: EDP Renewables North America LLC (EDPR NA), its affiliates, and its subsidiaries develop, construct, own, and operate wind farms and solar parks throughout North America. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, with 58 wind farms, eight solar parks, and seven regional offices across North America, EDPR NA has developed more than 8,300 megawatts (MW) and operates more than 8,000 MW of onshore utility-scale renewable energy projects. With more than 800 employees, EDPR NA’s highly qualified team has a proven capacity to execute projects across the continent. For more information, visit www.edpr.com/north-america. About EDP Renewables: EDP Renewables (Euronext: EDPR), is a global leader in the renewable energy sector and the world’s fourth-largest renewable energy producer. With a sound development pipeline, first class assets, and market-leading operating capacity, EDPR has undergone exceptional development in recent years and is currently present in 17 international markets (Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Hungary, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam). EDPR is committed to furthering social advances in terms of sustainability and integration. This is reflected by the inclusion of the company in the Bloomberg Gender Equality index and the fact that it has been certified as a Top Employer 2020 in Europe (Spain, Italy, France, Romania, Portugal, and the United Kingdom) and a Top Workplace 2020 in the United States, both of which recognize its employee-driven policies. Energias de Portugal, S.A. (EDP), the principal shareholder of EDPR, is a global energy company and a leader in value creation, innovation, and sustainability. EDP has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 13 consecutive years.
CONTACT: Blair Matocha EDP Renewables 713-356-2415 blair.matocha@edpr.com Maura Kennedy Strategic Elements 856-220-8172 mkennedy@strategicelements.com
