The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, has approved the Elisabeth Solar Project on about 1,411 acres of BLM-administered lands in the Agua Caliente Solar Energy Zone (SEZ) near Dateland in Yuma County, within Arizona’s Agua Caliente SEZ.
Elisabeth Solar, a subsidiary of Leeward Renewable Energy in Arizona, will construct, operate, maintain, and eventually commission the utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) energy and battery energy storage system (BESS) facility expected to generate up to 270 MW and store up to 300 MW of power. The project will connect to the Arizona Public Service (APS) and California Independent System Operator (CAISO) energy grids through the Hoodoo Wash switchyard.
The Department of Interior (DOI) signed the decision record, as the final environmental assessment has found no significant potential impacts from the scheme.
The project was secured by Leeward Renewable Energy’s unit in a 2021 solicitation by the BLM Arizona State Office for solar capacity within the 2,300-acre Agua Caliente SEZ. The company entered a lease agreement with BLM following the award.
BLM Yuma confirms its commitment to work with Tribal, federal, state, and local governments, communities, stakeholder groups, and industry to move this project forward. According to the project’s website, commercial operations will be targeted in 2026.
In another development, the BLM is seeking public comments regarding the proposed construction of an up to 300 MW solar park in Arizona’s Maricopa County by 265BH 8me – a subsidiary of California-based clean energy firm Avantus. The latter focuses on the development of utility-scale solar and solar-plus-storage projects. It is owned by EIG and investment funds and accounts managed by US private equity firm KKR & Company, with the latter being the controlling shareholder.
The Pinyon Solar Project involves building a PV park across 1,730 acres of public lands in the Mobile Valley, about 11 miles (18 km) west of Maricopa City. The site will be equipped with an integrated BESS. The project comes with plans for a 500 kV electrical generation tie transmission line.
The project’s draft environmental assessment will be available for a 30-day public comment period, with feedback to be accepted by May 27, 2025.