LA PAZ COUNTY, Ariz. — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has approved a proposal to transform thousands of acres of Arizona land into a solar energy facility.

Jove Solar LLC is intending to construct and operate a solar project on 3,495 acres of public land in La Paz County, located about 30 miles west of Tonopah. 

“If approved, construction of the project would begin once all applicable approvals and permits have been obtained,” BLM records state. “The Applicant anticipates project construction, from site preparation and grading to commercial operation, would take 12–18 months.”

Records show the facility would include 1.2 million photovoltaic modules and will connect to the Ten West Link transmission line.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Arizona in 2023 to celebrate the construction of the Ten West transmission line, which stretches from southern California to central Arizona.

BLM said the solar facility will be able to generate enough energy to power 180,000 homes annually.

“The project would help serve the increase in demand for low-carbon electric power in a manner that is consistent with
Federal policy mandates and incentives for development of renewable energy resources, while avoiding and minimizing potential adverse impacts to the environment,” BLM records state.

RELATED: Vertical farms allowed to be grown on city land in north Phoenix

RELATED: ‘Punishing someone trying to be responsible’: Solar customers protest APS fee

Watch 12News for free

You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12+ app!

The free 12+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like “Today in AZ” and “12 News” and our daily lifestyle program, “Arizona Midday”—on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

12+  showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.

Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.

Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for “12 News KPNX.”

Amazon Fire TV: Search for “12 News KPNX” to find the free 12+ app to add to your account, or have the 12+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.