EDF secures funding for 394MW Utah solar

EDF Renewables North America has secured financing for a new 394-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant in Utah. The Utah Solar 1 Energy project, located in Millard County, is scheduled to begin full-scale construction imminently and to start operations in mid-2027.

Funding for the large-scale project was arranged through credit facilities provided by a consortium of international banks. The financial partners include Crédit Agricole CIB, MUFG Bank, the National Bank of Canada, Société Générale, and Standard Chartered Bank.

Power purchase agreement details

The project's economic foundation is a 30-year power purchase agreement secured earlier this year. The offtaker is the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) and its member utility, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). This long-term contract guarantees a market for the electricity generated.

Amy Lloyd, Chief Financial Officer of EDF Renewables North America, highlighted the milestone. "Reaching financial close on Utah Solar 1 reflects strong market confidence in this asset and marks a major milestone for our team," Lloyd said. She thanked the power authorities and financial partners for their commitment as the project moves into construction.

Utah's solar energy landscape

Utility-scale projects like Utah Solar 1 constitute the majority of installed solar capacity in the state. According to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Utah has over 5.1 gigawatts of total installed solar PV. The state added more than 1 gigawatt of new capacity in 2025 alone, with most new additions coming from utility-scale developments.

The trade body forecasts significant continued growth. SEIA projects Utah will install 4 gigawatts of new solar PV capacity over the next five years. This growth trajectory ranks Utah as the 18th fastest-growing state for solar energy in that period.

EDF's broader North American portfolio

The Utah project is part of a larger expansion by EDF Renewables in the western United States. Recently, the company signed two separate 25-year power purchase agreements with Nevada utility NV Energy. These contracts are for a combined 400-megawatt solar project coupled with 1.6 gigawatt-hours of battery energy storage, known as the Winston Energy project.

That Nevada solar-plus-storage facility is already under construction. It is expected to achieve commercial operation by October 2029.