Sunstone Solar is a 1.2 GW solar and 1.2 GW battery energy storage project planned for eastern Oregon.
Solar energy developer Pine Gate Renewables has announced it has received final approval from the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council, marking the final step in a review and public engagement process. The company now has approval to proceed with SunStone Solar, which would be its largest solar project upon completion.
The project, located in eastern Oregon, is a proposed 1.2 GW solar and 1.2 GW, 7.2 GWh energy storage facility. For context, the entire state of Oregon has had 1.9 GW of cumulative solar installations in its history, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
Suntone Solar also includes construction of an interconnection substation, six collector substations, four operations and maintenance buildings, up to 15 km of 230 kV overhead transmission lines and other structures including roads, fences and gates. The project will be connected to the Bonneville Power Administration through the Umatilla Electric Cooperative system.
The facility is permitted to occupy approximately 9,442 acres of private land designated for exclusive farm use in Morrow County, Oregon.
“As a lifelong resident of Morrow County, I am pleased that Sunstone Solar is moving forward so that the local community can benefit from the economic opportunities the project will bring,” said Ken Grieb, a wheat farmer and landowner in the project. “Pine Gate has demonstrated how the development of major energy facilities can be done thoughtfully and collaboratively.”
Documentation on the approval process and environmental impact studies may be found here.
“Oregon’s energy facility permitting process is one of the most rigorous in the entire country,” said Ben Catt, CEO of Pine Gate Renewables. “The recent unanimous approval of the permit is a testament to how our team has worked with stakeholders to create a win-win situation for Oregon and the Morrow County community.”
Pine Gate said it is in discussions with customers and local utilities to purchase the project’s electricity and associated environmental credits. The company expects the engineering and procurement process to begin in early 2025 and phased construction to begin in 2026. Pine Gate Renewables owns and operates 17 other solar projects in Oregon. The company acquired the Sunstone Solar project from Gallatin Power Partners in 2022.
SEIA reports that Oregon gets about 4% of its electricity from solar, enough to power about 250,000 homes. About 4,000 people are employed in the state’s solar industry.
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