Big Rooter Power, a 1.2 GWdc solar PV project at Panamint Capital‘s Twin Oaks power station in Robertson County, Texas, has begun construction, marking the largest solar development built at an existing coal mining site in North America.

The $1.7 billion project sits roughly halfway between Dallas and Houston and will be built in two phases. Construction is underway on Big Rooter West, a 491 MWdc first phase set to reach commercial operation in August 2028. Big Rooter East, a 658 MWdc second phase, is scheduled to begin construction in December 2026 and enter commercial operation in August 2029. Together, the phases will create more than 800 construction jobs.

A Coal Site’s Next Chapter

The Twin Oaks complex has supplied power to the region for three decades. Big Rooter Power builds on that legacy, repurposing existing infrastructure at the 10,000-acre site to help meet rising electricity demand rather than developing an entirely new location.

Once complete, the Twin Oaks complex will house 1.5 GW of combined thermal and renewable generation, more than 20 miles of new 345 kV transmission lines, 1.6 GWh of battery energy storage, and 790 MW of Batch Zero data center capacity currently under development.

“Big Rooter Power represents our vision for getting more out of America’s energy infrastructure and ensuring America’s energy dominance,” said Apolka Totth, Panamint’s chief executive officer.

Local Economic Impact

Panamint has prioritized local hiring and regional vendor selection throughout the project. Big Rooter West alone is projected to contribute more than $66 million to the local economy over its operating lifetime.

Project Partners

Panamint selected established U.S. renewable energy firms to deliver the project:

• SOLV Energy will serve as EPC contractor, handling solar, substation, and transmission infrastructure.
• First Solar will manufacture roughly 2 million solar panels for both phases at its Ohio, Louisiana, and Alabama facilities.
• Nextpower will supply its NX Horizon solar tracker systems, paired with Hail Pro-75 and NX Navigator software to improve performance in variable weather conditions.

The project will use more than 34,000 tons of domestically manufactured steel.

“Big Rooter is a landmark project that reflects the scale of investment America is making in its energy future,” said George Hershman, SOLV Energy’s chief executive officer.

Panamint has also secured a long-term power purchase agreement with what it describes as one of the country’s largest companies, though the announcement did not name the buyer

“We are proud to use domestically manufactured equipment made by American companies and installed by American workers,” said Stanton, Panamint’s managing director of development. “Our long-term power purchase agreement… will ensure the electricity we generate at Big Rooter will power job creation in the American economy into the 2050s.”

Texas grid

Texas’s power grid is under mounting pressure as data center development accelerates across the state. In West Texas, Liberty Energy and PowerBridge recently formed a joint venture to power a planned 2 gigawatt data center campus, one of several large-load projects testing the grid’s capacity to keep pace with AI and hyperscale computing demand. Solar additions like this one play a growing role in meeting that demand, even as new generation struggles to outpace the speed at which large loads are coming online.

Big Rooter Power Project Factsheet:

• Location: Twin Oaks power station, Robertson County, Texas
• Capacity: 1.2 GWdc total (Big Rooter West: 491 MWdc; Big Rooter East: 658 MWdc)
• Investment: $1.7 billion
• Timeline: West operational August 2028; East construction begins December 2026, operational August 2029
• Jobs: 800+ construction positions
• Local economic contribution: $66 million+ (Big Rooter West, lifetime)
• EPC contractor: SOLV Energy
• Panel supplier: First Solar (2 million panels)
• Tracker technology: Nextpower NX Horizon with Hail Pro-75 and NX Navigator
• Steel used: 34,000+ tons, domestically manufactured