WEC Energy Group to acquire 80% stake in Texas solar project

Green Valley Dairy's solar field in Krakow, Wis. installed by Arch Electric/Arch Electric

WEC Energy Group has announced an agreement to acquire 80 percent ownership in a large solar project in Texas. 

The Milwaukee-based utility company yesterday said it would be spending about $250 million on the Samson I Solar Energy Center, located about 140 miles northeast of Dallas. 

The facility began commercial operation in May 2022 and is currently covered by a long-term power purchase agreement with AT&T, according to a release. 

“The Samson Solar project is an exciting addition to our Infrastructure business and highlights our continued investment in affordable, reliable and clean energy,” WEC Energy Group Executive Chairman Gale Klappa said in a statement. “This project will help one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies meet their clean energy needs for years to come.” 

The Samson I project is the first part of the five-phase Samson solar portfolio being built on 18,000 acres in northeastern Texas. It’s the largest solar project currently under construction in the country and represents $1.6 billion in capital investment, according to a project website from developer Invenergy. 

Once complete, the overall project is expected to total 1,310 megawatts, enough to power 300,000 homes, the site shows. 

See the WEC Energy Group release: 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wec-energy-group-to-acquire-80-ownership-of-samson-i-solar-energy-center-301734372.html

See more project details here: https://www.samsonsolarenergycenter.com/ 

–By Alex Moe