Global engineering and construction group Bechtel said it will work with Doral Renewables to design and build a 430-MW solar power station in Texas. The Cold Creek Solar+Storage project, sited in Schleicher and Tom Green counties, also will include a 340-MWh battery energy storage system.
Bechtel, headquartered in Reston, Virginia, on November 5 said the Cold Creek installation will have more than 850,000 solar modules. The facility’s storage component will enable excess energy from the solar array to be dispatched during periods of high demand for electricity on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, grid.
“The Cold Creek project highlights the power of an all-of-the-above energy strategy,” said Scott Austin, Bechtel general manager of Renewables & Clean Power. “Texas continues to lead the nation in blending traditional and renewable resources to strengthen its grid. By combining 430 MW of solar generation with 340 MWh of storage, Cold Creek will make the Texas grid stronger and more reliable for years to come. We are proud to bring Bechtel’s experience to this important project and support Doral Renewables’ mission to deliver reliable, homegrown power to Texas.”
“The Cold Creek project is a major milestone for our company’s growth,” said Jason Van Deusen, VP of Project Management for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-headquartered Doral Renewables, which operates in 21 states. “We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Bechtel. The strong relationship forged between the two organizations through collaboration, transparency, and shared values of community engagement, local workforce participation, safety, quality, and environmental stewardship has set the stage for continued success. We are excited to continue this momentum as we embark on another significant project and contribute to the vision of a diverse energy portfolio and resilient grid in America.”
The groups on Wednesday said Bechtel will provide engineering, procurement, and construction services for the solar and storage facilities across the two counties. The project is expected to create more than 500 jobs at peak construction. Commercial operation is expected to start in 2028.
Cold Creek is Bechtel’s second project with Doral Renewables and its fifth utility-scale solar facility in Texas, a state continuing to build more renewable energy power generation even as lawmakers at the state and federal level enact policies to support fossil fuels and diminish incentives for renewables. ENGIE and technology giant Meta recently announced power purchase agreements for more than 1.3 GW of generation from four Texas solar power installations, including a new 600-MW project near Lubbock.
Bechtel earlier this year was selected by Doral Renewables to deliver three key phases of its 1.3-GW Mammoth Solar facility in Indiana, which is expected to increase solar power generation capacity in that state by more than 20%.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
