The Pisgah Ridge solar project is a 250MW solar plant developed in Navarro County, Texas, US, by Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, a subsidiary of US electricity and natural gas distributor Duke Energy.
Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions held the ground-breaking ceremony in June 2021, marking the start of construction for the project. The solar farm was put into commercial operations in March 2023.
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The Pisgah Ridge Solar project generates approximately 250,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy a year, which is sufficient to meet the electricity needs of around 63,000 homes in Texas.
Pisgah Ridge solar development background
Duke Energy secured a tax abatement from the Navarro County Commissioners Court in September 2020. The abatement was awarded under the payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) structure that required the company to pay more than $131,000 a year to Navarro County over a ten-year period. The total sum will be equal to a tax abatement of approximately 70%.
An application for a limitation on the appraised value of the project site was first submitted to the Corsicana Independent School District in June 2020 and a tax agreement was approved in March 2021.
The project company, Pisgah Ridge Solar, was formed by Duke Energy to develop the $200m solar facility. Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions owns and operates the solar project, which is expected to have a life of at least 25 years.
Pisgah Ridge Solar project location and details
Covering an area of approximately 2,000 acres (809.37 hectares), the Pisgah Ridge Solar project is located outside of Dallas, in Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas.
The utility-scale, single-axis tracker photovoltaic project features approximately 600,000 solar panels mounted on solar trackers. A project substation was installed at the site along with circuit breakers, a transformer and meters, a control house, inverter boxes on concrete pads and overhead transmission lines.
Furthermore, the project includes an underground conduit, electrical wiring, combiner boxes, communications cables, an operations and maintenance facility, meteorological equipment, and telephone and internet communications equipment.
The power generated from the solar plant is transmitted through a 345kV transmission line in Navarro County.
Power purchase agreement details
Duke Energy entered a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with US pharmaceutical company, Charles River Laboratories International in June 2021. Under the agreement, Duke Energy will supply 102MW from the project for 15 years.
In March 2022, Duke Energy signed a separate 15-year VPPA with retailer Meijer to supply 83MW of solar energy generated from the project. The company also signed a 15-year VPPA with a third unnamed company.
The three agreements account for more than 90% of the facility’s power output.
Contractors involved
Duke Energy appointed US-based general contractor Moss & Associates to provide engineering and construction services for the solar project.
Multinational professional services company Ernst & Young acted as the property tax consultant for the project.
French energy company Schneider Electric advised Charles River Laboratories and Meijer on their respective VPPAs. It also assisted the pharma company during the project selection and negotiations.
Pisgah Ridge solar project benefits
The Pisgah Ridge solar project generated up to 300 temporary jobs during the peak construction phase. The project also benefitted the local economy through indirect benefits such as increased local spending in the service and construction industries.
Furthermore, the projects’ local impact also extends by providing significant tax revenues for the Corsicana Independent School District.
