Tucson Electric Power to start construction of its solar+ BESS project, Wilmot Energy Center II, in January 2025.
The project will include a 100 MW solar array and a 100 MW, four-hour lithium-ion BESS, to double the generating capacity and more than quadruple the storage capacity on the site, located south of the Tucson International Airport near South Wilmot and East Sahuarita Road. Wilmot II will support TEP’s efforts to expand clean energy resources and help achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The system’s photovoltaic panels will be mounted on a single-axis tracking system to allow them to follow the sun’s position to maximize production. The battery system will be able to store 400 MWh of energy, enough to serve approximately 14,600 homes for four hours.
The existing Wilmot Energy Center includes 100 MW of solar generation and 30 MW of two-hour storage. Owned and operated by an affiliate of NextEra Energy Resources, the system will do the same for the new resources, expected to be operational in 2027.
TEP’s 200 MW Roadrunner Reserve BESS in southeast Tucson is under construction and will begin operation in summer 2025, while a second 200-MW battery system at the same location, Roadrunner Reserve II, is slated for operations in early 2026.
Winchester Solar, located in Cochise County, will include an 80-MW solar and 80-MW BESS. The system will produce enough energy each year to serve the annual energy needs of about 11,000 homes. The 320 MWh battery system, expected to be online in 2027, will provide 80 MW of energy for four hours when fully charged.
TEP and Sister Company, UniSource Energy Services are evaluating proposals submitted in response to the 2024 all source request for proposals. Projects selected through this process support the company’s long-term integrated resource plans.
