US developer 7X Energy has signed a second power purchase agreement for the remaining electricity to be generated at its 690MW Taygete solar farm in Texas.
The power will be purchased by two large unnamed corporate entities in SolarBlocks, a product offered by 7X Energy.
Taygete will be built in two phases with the first phase starting construction in the third quarter of this year and the second phase in the first quarter of 2020.
Phase one is expected to come online in the first quarter of 2021 and the second phase in the second quarter of that year.
Once constructed, the facility will be the largest photovoltaic plant in Texas and the fifth largest PV project in the US.
Pecos County Judge Joe Shuster said: “Pecos County is proud to have 7X Energy’s Taygete Energy project and, upon completion, not only will it be the largest solar farm in the state of Texas, it will also make Pecos County the largest solar-producing county in the state.”
The Taygete Energy Project represents a capital investment in Texas of over $650 million and is expected to bring approximately 500 jobs to Pecos County during peak construction with actual construction spanning over a two-year period.
The project will generate tens of millions of dollars of property tax revenue to the county and other local taxing authorities over the 35-plus-year life of the solar farm, with the revenues used to support regional needs.
“Taygete is a fantastic project and an example of how 7X is leading the energy transition,” said 7X Energy chief executive Clay Butler.
“Big solar is a win-win for Texas, serving as an economic boost to agriculture, jobs, and infrastructure while cutting electricity costs for buyers,” he added.
Taygete will be 7X Energy’s third successful large-scale solar project in Texas
Previously 7X originated and developed the 136MW Lapetus project and originated and jointly developed the 315MW Phoebe project.
The projects combined represent a capital injection of over $1bn dollars into the Lonestar state.