rPlus Energies Pushes 400-MW Idaho Solar Project Into Construction
Solar Power World reports that rPlus Energies has commissioned the 125-MW Pleasant Valley Solar 2 project and broken ground on the 400-MW Blacks Creek Energy Center, both in Idaho. The two projects bring rPlus Energies’ total developed solar and storage capacity in the state past 1 GW, counting projects operating, under construction, or under contract. Combined, the projects represent an investment of more than $750 million and are expected to create hundreds of construction jobs plus permanent on-site positions once complete. Idaho Power CEO Lisa Grow said the projects support the utility’s need for “a balanced portfolio of energy resources” as demand grows across the state. rPlus CEO Luigi Resta called the buildout “the next chapter” in the company’s long-term commitment to Idaho. The projects will also generate ongoing state and local tax revenue through Idaho’s 3.5% solar energy tax on gross earnings, and Pleasant Valley Solar 2 partners have already funded $375,000 in workforce development scholarships at Boise State University and the College of Western Idaho.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- The 400-MW Blacks Creek Energy Center is now in active construction, meaning EPC crews for civil work, racking installation, and cabling should have near-term bid or staffing opportunities in the Boise-area market.
- Electrical and E&I subcontractors should position now for interconnection and commissioning work on Pleasant Valley Solar 2, which just reached commissioning status, as similar utility-scale projects typically need punch-list and grid-tie crews in the months following energization.
- With rPlus surpassing 1 GW of developed capacity in Idaho, local trades, from grading and fencing to module installation, can expect a steady pipeline of follow-on utility-scale awards from this developer rather than a one-off project.
