As demand for electricity grows locally and throughout Arizona, two large power generating projects in western Pinal County are grabbing residents’ attention as they work through the planning or construction process:
BrightNight Box Canyon Solar Project — Located on more than 2,000 acres of state land north of the Town of Florence on the west side of AZ-79, construction on this project began in December, and the project got a boost in May as BrightNight and joint venture partner Cordelio Power secured a $414 million construction credit facility.
Scheduled for completion in early 2025, the 300-megawatt solar field will send its power to the Southwest Public Power Agency, which supplies 25 smaller electric utilities in Arizona including six in Pinal County: ED2, ED3, ED4, ED6 and the Ak-Chin and Gila River districts.
Project Bella — Proposed for a 350-acre site just outside Casa Grande city limits on Midway Road north of Interstate 10, this would have two generation facilities on one site, a 480MW one powered by natural gas and a 440 MW battery energy storage facility sharing one connection to the grid.
The facilities are designed to deliver electricity during peak periods to the Arizona grid and use excess solar-generated power at other times to recharge the batteries and distribute load.
Scheduled to come online in 2027, this project has drawn concerns from neighboring residents about its effect on the area’s water supply and rural lifestyle. Owner Seguro Energy Partners LLC has filed for an air quality permit from the county Air Quality Control District.
