Salt River Project (SRP) has announced plans to seek board approval in September for the development of the Marigold Energy Center, located around 45 miles south of Phoenix, Arizona. This initiative aims to meet the rising energy demands in Maricopa and Pinal counties.
The center will consist of 400 megawatts (MW) of battery storage, 600 MW of solar power, and up to 675 MW powered by natural gas, along with a new substation and four miles of 230-kilovolt transmission lines.
Last year, SRP revealed plans for the Marigold project and conducted informational sessions for the local community in Stanfield. They are planning another open house and a virtual meeting to share updates, gather public feedback, and address any questions about the project.
An informational session is scheduled for July 28 in Stanfield, followed by a virtual open house on July 29. Previous events were held at Stanfield Elementary School in December and March.
According to SRP, this project aligns with their commitment to providing reliable and affordable energy to support Arizona’s economic growth. There’s potential for collaboration with Electrical District No. 3 (ED3), a regional public power utility.
ED3 is exploring a partnership with SRP to purchase a portion of the energy generated by the Marigold Energy Center, thus improving its capability to offer affordable and reliable electricity to local residents.
SRP is also increasing its energy storage resources to meet the rising demand for reliable and clean energy. In June, they formed a partnership with Energy Dome, backed by Google, to introduce a 19-MW, 10-hour carbon dioxide-based battery system at SRP’s Coronado Generating Station in St. Johns, Arizona.
In October, SRP collaborated with ESS Tech to develop a 5-MW/50-MWh iron flow battery through a pilot project and storage agreement.