Utility-scale renewables developer, Energy Capital Group (EGC), has announced the development of a 300MW plant in Millard County, Utah.
Estimated to cost US$600 million, ‘Utah Solar 1’ is to be built on 1,754 acres, leased from Utah School and Institutional Trust Land Administration (SITLA).
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The project will be opposite the Intermountain Power Plant (IPP), which currently provides 13 million MWh a year from two coal plants, just south of Salt Lake City.
The project also benefits from infrastructure lines to California that are already in place as the IPP substation in Utah is also part of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power transmission system. The project will eventually generate power for California and contribute towards California’s state Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) of 33% by 2020.
Through lease payments and tax revenue, the project will benefit local and state government, and a local school, also creating 200 construction jobs and powering 80,000 homes.
ECG have already conducted a biological study, a cultural survey and entered the queue for grid interconnection.
ECG is also applying the project to be part of the Utah Alternative Energy Development Incentive (AEDI) – which offers a 75% state tax credit for up to 20 years. The project is also negotiating for a conditional use permit from Millard County.
CEO of ECG Josh Case said the project is seen as “a huge win for all parties involved”.
Jeffrey Barrett, infrastructure and incentive manager in the Utah Office of Energy Development said it is expected the project will “add enormous economic value to rural Utah”.