AT&T Signs PPA For Output From New 130-MW Texas Solar Farm

Telecom giant AT&T has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for generation from a new solar power project in Texas.

Enbridge, a Calgary, Alberta, Canada-based energy group, on June 4 marked the start of operations for the 130-MW Orange Grove Solar installation near Corpus Christi. The array is Enbridge’s first in Texas. The company on Wednesday said Dallas-headquartered AT&T has a long-term virtual PPA for the project, which helps offset the company’s energy costs and supports its carbon-reduction goals.

AT&T has said most of the company’s renewable energy use comes from solar power and onshore wind virtual PPAs. The company also has said it looks “for opportunities to increase on-site renewables to further reduce costs and to diversify our energy mix.”

Matthew Akman, Enbridge’s executive vice president of Corporate Strategy and president of the company’s Power business, said, “We are pleased to be able to deliver additional zero-emission electricity into the grid in support of local and Texas statewide economic growth and energy demand. Enbridge is proud to operate a wide range of critical energy infrastructure across the Gulf Coast area including liquids pipelines and export facilities, natural gas pipelines and storage, as well as wind and now solar power.”

The Orange Grove site is located across 920 acres and features about 300,000 solar panels.

“Orange Grove Solar wouldn’t be possible without the support of the people who helped make it a reality. At Enbridge, while we’re proud to see the project reach this incredible milestone and begin delivering power to the Texas grid, this celebration event is really about the community behind it,” said Maja Nisbet, Enbridge’s Manager of Power Projects, at Wednesday’s ceremony opening the project. “From Orange Grove residents and nearby landowners to our dedicated project team—and the local, state, and federal officials who supported us every step of the way—this was a shared effort. Thank you for being such strong partners.”

Enbridge, best known for its pipeline networks that deliver natural gas, on Wednesday said it is building a second, much-larger solar farm in Texas, noting its 815-MW Sequoia Solar installation southeast of Abilene when complete will be among the largest U.S. solar farms.

—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.