Solar energy developer Pine Gate Renewables says it plans to begin construction in 2026 on its Sunstone solar-storage project in eastern Oregon after receiving approval from the state Energy Facility Siting Council last month. The development, which would include the largest U.S. battery energy storage project yet in terms of capacity, has an initial cost estimate of more than $1 billion, a company representative said via email.
Asheville, N.C.-based Pine Gate plans to build the facility on 9,442 acres in Morrow County, Ore. It would include more than 3.9 million photovoltaic solar modules with a generating capacity of 1.2 GW, as well as on-site storage using either lithium-ion or zinc-based batteries in modular containers with a total storage capacity of up to 7.2 GWh.
The project scope would also include construction of an interconnection substation, up to six collector substations, four operations and maintenance buildings and 9.5 miles of 230-kV transmission lines.
The company has not yet executed a formal engineering, procurement and construction agreement, but it is “in advanced discussions” with San Diego-based contractor SOLV Energy, which has an office in Bend, Ore., the Pine Gate representative said. The firm is a major solar energy project builder.
Ben Catt, CEO of Pine Gate, said in a statement that Oregon’s “energy facility permitting process is one of the most rigorous in the entire county,” and added that the state council approval came after the company “worked with stakeholders" from Oregon and the Morrow County community.
The project will interconnect to the Bonneville Power Administration via the Umatilla Electric Cooperative System, and Pine Gate says it is in talks to sell energy from the project to potential customers and local utilities.
Sunstone was formerly known as Echo Solar Project. Pine Gate acquired the project from its former owner, Gallatin Power Partners, in 2022.
Sunstone Solar would sit on a 9,442-acre site. Via Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council
Pine Gate says it has more than 100 solar facilities with a combined 2 GW of capacity and another 30 GW of projects in development across the U.S. It has 17 operating solar facilities in Oregon.
Battery energy storage is a growing secondary source of electricity. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, utility-scale battery energy storage operators have grown their combined capacity from 4 MW in 2010 to 20.7 GW as of last July.
Agency data show that operators plan to open more than 100 battery storage facilities next year totaling more than 14 GW, although not all of the projects have necessarily begun construction or received all needed regulatory approvals.
