The Utah Solar 1 Energy project has reached financial close, clearing a major hurdle before full construction of the planned 300 MWac solar facility in Millard County, Utah.
EDF power solutions North America closed financing for the project on Sept. 17 and said construction will now move into its full phase. The facility has a capacity of 394 MWdc and 300 MWac and is scheduled to begin delivering electricity in mid-2027.
The project will occupy about 1,750 acres of state-owned land managed by the Utah Trust Lands Administration. At peak construction, the project is expected to employ about 400 workers. EDF also projects more than $40 million in local tax revenue for Millard County and $27 million in lease revenue for Utah Trust Lands over the project’s operating term.
Financing moves project toward construction
The financial close was supported by credit facilities from Crédit Agricole CIB, MUFG Bank, National Bank of Canada, Société Générale and Standard Chartered Bank.
MUFG Bank served as administrative agent, while Crédit Agricole CIB acted as the initial coordinating lead arranger. The financing package also includes a tax-credit bridge facility backed by Crédit Agricole CIB as the project’s production tax credit buyer.
The financing follows a 30-year power purchase agreement signed earlier this year between the project’s developer and the Southern California Public Power Authority.
Under the agreement, SCPPA will purchase the project’s electricity, capacity and environmental attributes for participating member Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. LADWP will manage the project under a separate agency agreement.
SCPPA’s agreement sets a target commercial operation date of June 30, 2027, with June 30, 2028, established as the guaranteed commercial operation date.
Project has been in development for several years
Utah Solar 1 has been progressing through local development and transmission planning for several years.
Millard County records show the project had already secured a solar conditional-use permit and included plans for a transmission connection between the project site and the Intermountain Power Project. County planning records also identified a transmission corridor associated with the development.
The project later became part of SCPPA’s procurement process for new renewable energy resources. In December 2025, the authority approved agreements for the project and its 300 MW solar output to serve LADWP customers.
The May 2026 PPA announcement subsequently established the long-term power arrangement between EDF, SCPPA and LADWP. At that stage, EDF said the project was expected to begin delivering electricity in mid-2027.
The financial close now provides the capital needed to advance the development into full construction.
Solar facility will supply Los Angeles customers
Once operational, Utah Solar 1 is expected to produce approximately 766,000 MWh of electricity annually.
The project will supply LADWP through the SCPPA agreement rather than serving Millard County’s local electricity demand directly. LADWP is also designated to manage project activities under its agency agreement with SCPPA.
The facility’s output will add another large renewable generation source to Utah’s growing energy infrastructure while providing power under a long-term arrangement with a major California municipal utility.
EDF’s latest project financing announcement identifies the facility as 394 MWdc/300 MWac, while the earlier PPA announcement described it as 400 MWdc/300 MWac. The 394 MWdc figure is the more recent capacity disclosed by EDF and is therefore used here.
The project remains listed in federal energy data as a planned 300 MW solar generating facility with a proposed 2027 completion.
With financing now closed, the next major milestone will be construction and the subsequent commissioning of the facility ahead of its planned 2027 power-delivery date.
U.S. Solar Projects Continue to Advance
Utah Solar 1 joins a growing pipeline of utility-scale solar projects moving through construction and development across the U.S. In Texas, the Three W Solar project recently reached substantial completion and secured ERCOT approval to connect its 110 MWac facility to the state’s power grid.
The Texas project also highlights the different stages large solar developments must navigate before entering operation. Mitsui acquired Three W Solar from OCI Solar Power in 2023 before Black & Veatch delivered the facility through its engineering, procurement and construction role. The project now moves toward operations after completing construction and grid-connection requirements.
Utah Solar 1 Energy: Factsheet
- Location: Millard County, Utah
- Site: Approximately 1,750 acres
- Capacity: 394 MWdc / 300 MWac
- Developer: EDF power solutions North America
- Project entity: ECG Utah Solar 1, LLC
- Land: Utah Trust Lands Administration
- Power buyer: Southern California Public Power Authority for LADWP
- PPA: 30 years
- Annual generation: Approximately 766,000 MWh
- Peak construction workforce: About 400
- Latest milestone: Financial close, Sept. 17, 2026
- Expected power delivery: Mid-2027
- Target commercial operation: June 30, 2027
- Guaranteed commercial operation: June 30, 2028
- Local tax revenue: More than $40 million projected
- Utah Trust Lands lease revenue: $27 million projected
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