Spanish energy company Repsol has begun commercial operations at its 825MW Pinnington solar project in Texas.
The utility-scale project, which was engineered and constructed by Black & Veatch and its subsidiary Overland Contracting Inc. (OCI), was completed at “an accelerated pace”, reaching commercial operation “2.5 times faster” than comparable projects, the companies said.
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Located in Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) territory, the Pinnington facility comprises approximately 1.5 million solar panels. Through the project, the company created 700 jobs locally.
“Pinnington sets a new benchmark for renewable energy delivery in the US, combining unprecedented scale with exceptional pace. Achieving commercial operations reflects strong execution, a deep safety culture, and the commitment of the teams and partners behind this project”, said Federico Toro, CEO of Repsol Renewables North America.
With this project, Repsol’s US renewables portfolio expanded to more than 2GW.
The company entered the US market in 2021 with the acquisition of a 40% stake in solar and energy storage developer Hecate Energy. However, last year Repsol agreed to sell its 40% stake in US renewables developer Hecate Energy, settling an outstanding dispute.
Apart from Pennington, Repsol operates several projects in Texas including the 632MW Frye and 629MW Outpost solar projects. Repsol is also developing the 595MW Pecan Prairie solar project, which remains under construction.
In addition to its Texas portfolio, Repsol also operates the Jicarilla I and II solar-plus-storage complex in New Mexico, further diversifying its US renewable generation assets.
Texas remains a leading state in the US solar market, supported by rising power demand, abundant land and streamlined permitting. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Texas ranks second in the US for cumulative installed solar capacity, with 51.9GW currently online. The state is also expected to add a further 32.3GW over the next five years.
