June 18, 2026
Aypa power and the Salt River Project (SRP) nonprofit says its Fronton Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) unit has reached power in Arizona.
The 250 MW/1 GWh BESS system, located in Mesa’s Elliot Road Technology Corridor, is one of the largest in the Grand Canyon State. The unit has enough energy capacity to power up to 56,250 homes in the Salt River Valley, and is prepared for sustained load growth as the Phoenix metropolitan area remains one of the fastest growing population centers in the US.
“The addition of new battery energy storage resources provides SRP with flexibility and capacity that will allow us to reliably serve our customers,” said Bobby Olsen, associate general manager and Chief Power System Executive of SRP. “This project is an important addition to SRP’s energy portfolio and supports SRP’s commitment to providing reliable, affordable and sustainable energy as the Valley continues to experience record growth.”
The SRP expects to “more than double” its current capacity over the next decade, representatives say. Battery storage will play a critical role in that expansion, allowing Arizona utilities to meet excessive demand and maintain full grid strength even during peak hours.
Storage for the future
At its peak of construction, the Fronton battery project created more than 200 jobs for the Phoenix area, officials say. Now that the project is online, these officials expect the project to generate approximately $16 million in direct economic impact, including $14 million as tax revenue from Maricopa County.
“The Fronton project reflects Aypa’s disciplined approach to delivering reliable energy infrastructure in fast-growing markets,” said Moe Hajabed, CEO of Aypa Power. “Our local projects, located in one of the country’s most important data center corridors, are well positioned to support growing high-volume customer demand while strengthening the overall reliability of the network.”
According to the company, all Aypa Power projects in the SRP system have a total of approximately 500 MW and 3 GWh of energy storage capacity. These projects not only add reliability and resiliency to the electric grid, but the company says they will support the utility’s continued investments in other distributed energy resources for its customers.
SRP aims to reduce carbon intensity by 82% between 2005 and 2035, the company says. The nonprofit has an ultimate goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, she added.
Tags: Aypa Power, batteries, accumulators, BESS, ESS, project, Salt River Project, storage, utility scale
