Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) is progressing over 700MW of new solar capacity in Oklahoma that will be supported by long-term agreements with Google.
These projects are strategically sited to support Google’s data centre operations and activities in artificial intelligence (AI).
Construction has begun on the 372MW Mayes County Solar Portfolio, located just within one mile from Google’s data centre in Pryor, Oklahoma.
Together with the Twelvemile Solar Project 1&2 (152.5MW) and the Twelvemile 3 Solar Project (200MW), located in southern Oklahoma, these projects total 724MW of solar capacity in Oklahoma.
LRE purchased the Mayes County solar portfolio from Red River Renewable Energy, a joint venture between SunChase Power and Eolian.
The energy generated by the solar portfolio is delivered under firm transmission service to the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA).
GRDA plans to use the clean energy produced by the projects to support operations at Google’s data centre.
The Mayes County Solar Portfolio consists of three solar projects, Salt Branch Solar (145MW), Huckleberry Solar (125MW) and Mayes Solar (102MW).
The projects will create over 300 construction jobs and contributing an estimated $76m in tax revenue to Mayes County over their lifespan.
This funding will support vital county initiatives and schools.
Additionally, over $60,000 has been donated to the local Red Cross, the Chamber of Commerce, and other essential services, further strengthening community resources.
The PPAs were facilitated through LEAP (LevelTen Energy’s Accelerated Process), which was co-developed by Google and LevelTen Energy to make sourcing and executing clean energy PPAs more efficient and contribute to Google’s 2030 goal to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy on every grid where it operates.
LRE chief commercial officer Eran Mahrer said: “We are proud to expand our presence in Oklahoma with these projects which are ideally located to support Google’s data center operations.
“This partnership with Google not only strengthens our collaboration but also contributes to the reliability of Oklahoma’s electric grid and helps advance national energy independence.
“By utilizing domestically manufactured equipment and creating job opportunities for Oklahomans, these projects deliver tangible benefits to local communities navigating the energy transition. They underscore our commitment to responsible development and fostering economic growth in regions critical to the future of energy.”
“By partnering with Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) and LRE, Google is furthering its ambition to power our facilities, including those in Oklahoma, with carbon-free energy around the clock by 2030,” said Amanda Peterson Corio, global head of data center energy, Google.
“These power purchase agreements demonstrate how our scalable procurement approach is transforming the acquisition of clean energy and accelerating the development of carbon-free energy sources.”