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Mesquite Solar project

Coordinates: 33°20′N 112°55′W / 33.333°N 112.917°W / 33.333; -112.917
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Mesquite Solar project
Map
CountryUnited States
LocationArlington, Arizona
Coordinates33°20′N 112°55′W / 33.333°N 112.917°W / 33.333; -112.917
StatusOperational
OwnerSempra Generation
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Power generation
Nameplate capacity512.5 MWAC
Capacity factor32.3% (average 2017–2019)
Annual net output1,133 GW·h, 493 MW·h/acre (pre–2023)
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The Mesquite Solar project is a 512.5-megawatt (MWAC) photovoltaic power plant in Arlington, Maricopa County, Arizona, owned by Sempra Generation and Consolidated Edison Development Inc. The first three phases of the project were constructed using more than 2.1 million crystalline silicon solar panels made by Suntech Power.[1][2] Mesquite 4 and 5 added another 112.5 MW and 70 MW of battery storage.

Project details

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Construction of Phase 1 over a 3.6 km2 site adjacent the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station began in 2011 and was completed in January 2013.[3][4] It has a nameplate capacity of 150 megawatts (MW) that is contracted through a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).[5] The EPC contractor was Zachry Holdings.[6] Phase 1 cost about $600 million, is projected to generate more than 350 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually (an average of about 40 MW), and will offset roughly 200,000 tons of carbon emissions each year.[6][7]

Mesquite Solar One (August 2012)

Phase 2 (100MW) and Phase 3 (150MW) were both completed in December 2016.[8][9][10] The panels are mounted on single-axis trackers to increase electricity production.

Mesquite 4 is a 52.5 MW solar farm with 10 MW of batteries. Mesquite 5 is a 60 MW solar farm with 60 MW of batteries. Mesquite 4 came online in January 2024 while Mesquite 5 came online in July 2023. [11]

Electricity production

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Total Facility Generation
(Annual Sum from All Units Below)
Year Total Annual MW·h
2011 2,956
2012 233,105
2013 413,611
2014 408,218
2015 397,599
2016 442,565
2017 1,145,231
2018 1,145,816
2019 1,109,029
Average (2017–2019) 1,133,359
Generation (MW·h) of Mesquite Solar 1 (150MW)[12]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2011 1,711 1,245 2,956
2012 6,830 8,261 10,848 14,729 20,300 20,717 22,784 26,070 25,060 27,809 25,008 24,689 233,105
2013 26,897 31,203 35,698 37,963 39,751 39,487 38,113 36,261 35,489 38,806 27,362 26,581 413,611
2014 29,466 28,570 39,157 40,084 42,765 40,304 37,138 35,717 34,451 32,627 27,236 20,703 408,218
2015 20,029 30,905 37,089 40,474 40,419 37,689 35,962 36,967 33,285 31,139 29,199 24,442 397,599
2016 23,919 32,350 36,412 37,321 42,442 39,309 38,869 38,069 33,660 34,753 28,321 22,825 408,250
2017 18,968 23,127 39,542 43,048 45,896 51,628 31,943 39,425 40,513 37,184 22,096 20,363 413,734
2018 23,598 25,234 32,580 38,786 48,925 47,774 42,202 42,713 41,106 29,406 25,482 17,198 415,004
2019 21,519 21,215 33,843 40,244 42,179 47,752 42,113 45,612 36,747 37,825 21,338 16,959 407,345
Generation (MW·h) of Mesquite Solar 2 (100MW with tracking) [13]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2016 13,255 13,255
2017 15,016 16,794 26,698 29,176 31,992 32,486 29,490 28,681 26,392 23,857 15,275 15,040 290,897
2018 17,201 18,569 24,484 28,562 32,739 31,729 29,461 29,075 26,015 16,891 15,900 14,396 285,023
2019 16,090 14,280 19,916 21,340 22,983 30,941 29,656 29,898 23,634 23,723 13,615 9,971 256,047
Generation (MW·h) of Mesquite Solar 3 (150MW with tracking) [14]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2016 21,060 21,060
2017 22,673 25,705 40,558 43,985 48,952 49,978 44,174 43,447 39,846 35,670 23,425 22,187 440,600
2018 25,678 28,450 38,984 43,517 50,609 48,203 44,817 44,342 39,830 31,777 27,684 21,898 445,789
2019 25,460 26,613 38,070 43,410 47,869 48,938 45,483 45,652 39,165 39,109 25,772 20,096 445,637

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Wesoff, Eric (February 3, 2011). "Suntech to Supply 800,000 PV Panels for Sempra's Mesquite 1". Greentech Media. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  2. ^ Woody, Todd (February 4, 2011). "Arizona Solar Plant Picks Chinese Supplier". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  3. ^ "Sempra Generation Mesquite Solar Phase 1". Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  4. ^ Sempra Completes first phase of Mesquite Solar Project
  5. ^ "Sempra Generation Contracts With PG&E for 150 MW of Solar Power". CNNMoney.com. October 12, 2010. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  6. ^ a b "Sempra Generation Selects Suntech and Zachry for Landmark Arizona Solar Power Plant". Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. February 3, 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  7. ^ Goossens, Ehren (February 3, 2011). "Sempra Buying Suntech Panels for 150-Megawatt Solar Project". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2011-02-06. Scott Crider, a Sempra Generation spokesman, would not give a price for the Mesquite project. Photovoltaic "projects can range from $3.5 to $5.5 million per megawatt, that's the general industry standard," he said in an interview.
  8. ^ "Sempra Generation Mesquite Solar Phase 2". Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  9. ^ "Sempra Generation Mesquite Solar Phase 3". Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  10. ^ Table 6.3. New Utility Scale Generating Units by Operating Company, Plant, Month, and Year, Electric Power Monthly, U.S. Energy Information Administration, February 24, 2017
  11. ^ "Table 6.3. New Utility Scale Generating Units by Operating Company, Plant, and Month, 2023, Electric Power Monthly, U.S. Energy Information Administration, February, 2024". Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  12. ^ "Mesquite Solar 1, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  13. ^ "Mesquite Solar 2, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  14. ^ "Mesquite Solar 3, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
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