ContourGlobal has started construction on Project Sterling, a hybrid solar and battery storage plant about 20 miles north of Lake Havasu City in Mohave County. The company held a groundbreaking ceremony in Topock on October 6 and announced it the next day (via ContourGlobal).
The plant will combine 509 MWp (450 MWac) of solar PV with 360 MW / 1.4 GWh of battery storage on more than 2,000 acres. When finished, the site will hold more than 760,000 solar modules and over 300 battery storage containers using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) technology with liquid cooling and integrated fire protection.
Construction is set to run through 2028 with an average of about 400 workers on site. The company says local construction teams will handle civil works, road construction and site logistics. To reach the site, ContourGlobal is building Polaris Road, a 5.2-mile route that connects to historic Route 66.
Once running, Sterling is expected to produce more than 1.1 TWh of electricity a year. A long-term power purchase agreement with Tesla covers about 90% of that expected output, which ContourGlobal calls one of the largest corporate solar-plus-storage PPAs ever signed for a single hybrid plant in the U.S. The company says the plant is designed to deliver power for up to 16 hours a day.
CEO Antonio Cammisecra said the plant will store part of its energy "for delivery after sunset." State and local officials at the ceremony included Arizona State Representative Leo Biasiucci and Mohave County Supervisor Ron Gould.
The project is privately financed. ContourGlobal said it secured an equity bridge loan from a group of international banks to fund part of its equity commitment during construction.
Why it matters for Contractors
Roughly 400 construction workers on one project through 2028 is a big draw for a rural county. Contractors around Lake Havasu City and Kingman may see tighter availability of labor, equipment and housing for crews, along with chances to pick up civil, road and support work. Utility-scale jobs like this also keep electricians and equipment operators busy, which can affect pricing and scheduling for residential work nearby.