BrightNight and Cordelio Power have reached financial close on the Pioneer Clean Energy Center, a planned 300-megawatt solar project with a 300-megawatt, 1,200-megawatt-hour battery system in Yuma County, Arizona. The facility is expected to begin commercial operations by April 2027.
Developed under a long-term tolling agreement with a local utility, the project will supply dispatchable renewable power to help meet Arizona’s growing electricity demand. Construction is already underway on the site, the companies said.
Pioneer Clean Energy Center – At a Glance
Location: Yuma County, Arizona
Capacity: 300 MWac solar + 300 MW / 1,200 MWh battery energy storage
Developers: BrightNight and Cordelio Power
Investors: Crédit Agricole, MUFG, Royal Bank of Canada, National Bank of Canada, CoBank, and ING
Technology: Hybrid solar-plus-storage optimized with BrightNight’s PowerAlpha® software
Anticipated Operation: April 2027
Hybrid solar-and-storage projects like Pioneer are gaining momentum nationwide as utilities balance renewables with firm, reliable capacity. In Texas, the Cold Creek Solar+Storage project spans Schleicher and Tom Green counties and is now under construction. It will add 430 megawatts of solar backed by a 340-megawatt-hour battery system to the ERCOT grid. Developers say new battery technology and state incentives are fueling a surge of large hybrid projects across the United States.
The company secured financing for Pioneer through a syndicate of both international and North American lenders. Although the companies would not disclose project costs, such large-scale hybrid projects generally require more than $300 million in investment.
The project adds to a growing list of utility-scale clean energy developments in Arizona, as the state’s electricity demand continues to rise and utilities expand renewable generation portfolios.
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, BrightNight develops hybrid renewable power projects throughout the United States. Toronto-headquartered Cordelio Power operates a portfolio of wind, solar, and storage assets across North America.
