- A major solar energy project has been given the green light by state officials — bringing the nation’s largest solar project proposal to eastern Oregon.
- A spokesperson for Pine Gate Renewables said that the company is in active conversations with several customers, including local utilities, about purchasing energy outputs from the project.
A major solar energy project has been given the green light by state officials — bringing the nation’s largest solar project proposal to eastern Oregon, according to Pine Gate Renewables.
Pine Gate Renewables, the company behind the proposed Sunstone Solar project, announced its approval earlier in December by the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council.
The approval authorises Pine Gate Renewables to begin construction of the 1,200-megawatt solar and storage facility in Morrow County, which is slated to start in 2026.
The site is over 10,000 acres and will sit on private land that is zoned for farm use. In a press release announcing the project’s approval, Pine Gate Renewables said the company worked extensively with Morrow County and agricultural organizations to offset the project’s impact on the local agricultural economy.
The company said it will create a first-of-its-kind program with a one-time investment of over $1,000 per project acre into a county-managed fund for programs supporting the agricultural economy, including the viability of Morrow County’s wheat farms.
“Oregon’s energy facility permitting process is one of the most rigorous in the entire country,” said Ben Catt, chief executive officer of Pine Gate Renewables. “The recent unanimous permit approval is a testament to the way our team worked with stakeholders to provide a win-win for Oregon and the Morrow County community.”
A spokesperson for Pine Gate Renewables said that the company is in active conversations with several customers, including local utilities, about purchasing energy outputs from the project.
The spokesperson also cited a Portland Business Journal report, stating the project could produce enough power in a year to match the energy use of almost 300,000 Oregon homes.
An initial estimate placed the project at over $1 billion, Pine Gate Renewables said, noting, “The growing need for electricity in the Pacific Northwest was the largest driver,” for selecting Oregon as the project’s destination, adding, “other key factors included the rigor and predictability of the state permitting process and Eastern Oregon’s relatively flat, dry landscape.”