CANDELA WINS ARIZONA STATE LANDS AUCTION FOR PRIME SOLAR DEVELOPMENT LAND IN YAVAPAI COUNTY
On November 21, the Arizona State Lands Department (ASLD) conducted a public auction on the steps of Yavapai County’s historic courthouse in Prescott, Arizona. The subject of the auction? Approximately 4,200 acres of land straddling Interstate 17 in Arizona’s Central Highlands. The auction culminated a multi-year process initiated by Candela’s application to lease this tract from the State of Arizona to develop, construct, and operate Candela’s 450 MW Agua Fria photovoltaic solar and battery storage project.
After 15 minutes of spirited bidding, Candela’s Chief Development Officer, James Felix Cook, made the final winning bid, securing site control for the project. Candela’s team promptly retired to the historic Palace on Whiskey Row to celebrate the victory with a heartfelt expression of thanks to its many friends and supporters.
After a thorough and intensive review of the most appropriate sites in Arizona, Candela selected this location for its Agua Fria solar development project because of its homogeneous topography, access to major infrastructure, and proximity to the 500 kV Dugas substation, making this a premier site to serve Arizona’s growing demand for cost-effective, reliable, and clean generating resources. Candela is deeply committed to land stewardship with a view toward conserving the local ecosystem and honoring historic ranching values. To that end, Candela will employ industry-leading design and construction methods to ensure that pronghorn antelope and other local species can cross the site through existing waterways. Candela has also requested that ASLD allow sheep grazing on the site, and Candela is in advanced discussions with local graziers and experts to incorporate sheep grazing into the project’s vegetation management program during operations.
During construction, the Agua Fria project will create 300 to 400 family-wage construction jobs. Once it becomes operational, the project will generate enough clean, carbon-free electricity to meet the annual energy needs of 120,000 Arizona homes. Additionally, the project will produce over $27 million in sales and property tax revenue for Yavapai County. We are particularly pleased that the project will generate over $30 million in revenue for Arizona’s K-12 schools and higher education through its long-term lease with Arizona State Lands.
Having completed a successful auction, the project will soon commence permitting in Yavapai County. The Candela team is looking forward to collaborating with project neighbors, stakeholders, and interested parties in the local community going forward.
Questions about the Agua Fria Solar Project can be directed to james.cook@candelarenewables.com or jim.woodruff@candelarenewables.com