Origis Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority announced on May 29 that the first of three solar plus storage projects in their Mississippi portfolio has reached commercial operation.
Golden Triangle II, a 150 MWac solar project with 50 MW/200 MWh battery storage, began generating electricity on May 21, 2024.
Mississippi is home to two other Origis renewable energy projects -- Golden Triangle I, in Lowndes County, a 200 MWac project with 50 MW/200 MWh of battery storage and Optimist, in Clay County, a 200 MWac project with 50 MW/200 MWh of battery storage.
This is the largest battery storage portfolio under construction in the state.
When completed in 2025, Origis’ Mississippi clean-energy complex will have a total capacity of 550 MW plus 150 MW of battery storage. Roughly 1.5 million solar panel modules will be installed at the three sites.
Origis Energy developed, constructed and will operate the three projects for TVA. Each site will deliver energy at competitive rates under power purchase agreements executed between TVA and Origis, Origis noted.
TVA will use the power to help meet the energy demand and sustainability goals of some of its large industrial customers, through its Green Invest program, including Meta.
Golden Triangle II will support Meta’s operations in the TVA area as part of the more than 1,000 MWac capacity Meta has partnered with TVA on.
Following the pandemic, TVA’s affordable, reliable and clean energy, coupled with unprecedented migration into the area, resulted in a rebound in economic growth in the Golden Triangle area of 8% in 2021 and 3.5% in 2022. That growth is expected to continue, according to the recent University of Tennessee Baker School study which projects the TVA region’s population to grow by 22% by 2050.
Estimated economic benefits from the three projects include $106 million in near-term construction and hiring gains to the area. Over the life of the solar complex, they will provide another $145 million in estimated regional economic benefits.
RES is providing construction services to Origis for the portfolio, employing an estimated 500 people over the course of the three projects.
Upon completion of the plants, Origis Energy Services will operate and maintain the portfolio, employing approximately 9 on-site jobs over the 35+ project life years.
The utility-scale battery storage for each site is provided by Prevalon Energy, a rebranding of Mitsubishi Power Americas battery energy storage business.
