US launches 1.2 GW solar project at coal site with 2 million solar panels

Construction has begun on one of North America’s largest solar developments at an existing coal mining site, with the solar farm project set to expand Texas’ power generation without shutting down the coal plant already operating there. Panamint Capital recently broke ground on the Big Rooter Power project at its Twin Oaks power station in Robertson County, located roughly midway between Dallas and Houston. The $1.7 billion development will add 1.2 gigawatts (GWdc) of solar capacity to the site. According to the company, it will become the largest solar farm built at an active coal mining site in North America. Despite the large renewable energy investment, the project is not replacing Twin Oaks’ existing 310-megawatt (MW) lignite-fired power plant near Bremond. The coal facility remains operational, and Panamint has not announced any plans to retire it. Solar expansion planned in two construction phases The solar farm project will be developed in two stages over the next several years. Construction has already started on Big Rooter West, a 491 MWdc solar facility scheduled to begin operations in August 2028. The second phase, Big Rooter East, will add another 658 MWdc. Groundbreaking for that section is planned for December 2026, with commercial operations expected in August 2029. Panamint estimates that the combined project will create more than 800 construction jobs. The company also expects Big Rooter West to contribute more than $66 million to the regional economy during its operating life by prioritizing local hiring and regional suppliers. Once completed, the approximately 10,000-acre (about 15.6-square-mile) Twin Oaks energy complex will include nearly 1.5 GW of combined coal and solar generation. Panamint is also building more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) of new 345-kilovolt transmission lines, 1.6 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery energy storage, and infrastructure capable of supporting 790 MW of data center capacity. “Big Rooter Power represents our vision for getting more out of America’s energy infrastructure and ensuring America’s energy dominance,” said Panamint CEO Apolka Totth. Project will use 2 million US-made solar panels SOLV Energy has been selected to manage engineering, procurement, and construction for the project. Its responsibilities include installing the solar arrays, building the substation, and developing the transmission infrastructure. First Solar will supply approximately 2 million solar panels manufactured at its facilities in Ohio, Louisiana, and Alabama. The project will also use NX Horizon solar trackers from Nextpower, allowing the panels to follow the sun throughout the day to improve electricity generation. According to Panamint, construction will require more than 34,000 tons of U.S.-made steel. The company has also signed a long-term power purchase agreement with what it described as a single investment-grade offtaker, although it has not identified the customer. The agreement is expected to remain in effect into the 2050s. Hybrid energy hub targets growing Texas electricity demand Rather than replacing coal generation, Panamint is expanding the site’s energy mix by combining coal, solar, battery storage, transmission infrastructure, and future data center capacity within the same property. The strategy comes as electricity demand in Texas continues to rise, driven partly by rapid data center expansion. According to JLL’s data center outlook, Texas has become one of the fastest-growing data center markets in the United States, with much of the development centered around the Dallas-Fort Worth region. The report identifies electricity availability on the ERCOT grid as one of the biggest constraints on future data center growth across the state.Recommended ArticlesGet the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.A versatile writer, Sujita has worked with Mashable Middle East and News Daily 24. When she isn't writing, you can find her glued to the latest web series and movies.