The short version
- Panamint Capital has begun construction on the Big Rooter Power solar farm, utilizing assets from nearby Twin Oaks and Calvert facilities.
- The 10,000-acre site will feature battery storage and transmission lines, with initial power generation expected by late 2028.
- This development highlights a growing trend of repurposing fossil fuel infrastructure for renewable energy while maintaining existing operations.
Construction has commenced on a major clean energy initiative in Texas that aims to convert coal mining land into a substantial solar generation hub. Panamint Capital, an investment firm backed by KKR, announced the start of work on the Big Rooter Power project in Bremond. The 1.2-gigawatt facility will leverage infrastructure from the adjacent Twin Oaks coal plant and Calvert surface mine, both of which remain operational during the transition.
The first phase involves a 491-megawatt section scheduled for completion in August 2028, followed by an additional 658 megawatts potentially online by August 2029. The site will also incorporate 1.6 gigawatt-hours of battery storage and new high-voltage transmission lines. Developers indicate the infrastructure could support future natural gas generation to meet demand from data centers and other industrial users.
This project represents one of the largest solar arrays built on a brownfield site in North America. It joins a small but expanding sector of coal-to-solar conversions, including projects in Illinois, Kentucky, and Louisiana. Proponents argue that deploying renewable capacity at existing energy sites offers efficient benefits to communities and ratepayers while reducing environmental impact.
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- Grist↗This Texas coal mine will soon be home to a 1.2GW solar farm
