Invenergy has started work on the 1310MW Samson Solar Energy Center in north-east Texas, which when completed will be the largest photovoltaic plant in the US.
The $1.6bn project is located in Lamar, Red River and Franklin Counties and will support up to 600 jobs over the course of the 36-month construction period.
It will be constructed in five phases over the next three years, with each phase commencing operation upon completion.
The full project is slated to be operational in 2023.
In addition, Samson Solar will drive significant local economic development, bringing more than $250m in landowner payments and supporting local communities through nearly $200m in property tax payments over the life of the project.
The project will supply 500MW of electricity to AT&T, 200MW to Honda, 160MW to McDonald’s, 100MW to Google and 50MW to The Home Depot.
The Texas cities of Bryan, Denton and Garland will also receive 150MW, 75MW and 25MW each, respectively.
Invenergy senior vice president of origination Ted Romaine said: “Invenergy continues to lead the energy transition, and this record-setting project demonstrates our expertise at a new scale.
“The Samson Solar Energy Center is the latest example of what can be achieved when companies and utilities seek an innovative partner to meet their sustainability goals and invest in a clean energy future.”
AT&T technology and operations president Scott Mair said: “At AT&T, we believe renewable energy is good for the planet, for our business, and for the communities we serve.
“With more than 1.5GW of renewable energy capacity, our portfolio delivers clean electricity to the grid, helps to create jobs and community benefits, and supports the transition to a low-carbon economy.
“We’re excited to participate in Invenergy’s Samson project through the largest corporate solar energy deal in the US.”