EPHRATA — Grant County Public Utility District commissioners have unanimously approved two 20-year power-purchase agreements with Royal Slope LLC to bolster the county’s renewable energy capacity and help meet Washington’s clean-energy goals.

The contracts include one for energy from a soon-to-be constructed 260-megawatt solar-energy project near Wanapum Dam (Motion 3537) and another for the project’s 1,040-megawatt-hour battery storage system (Motion 3738). Both agreements begin no earlier than March 31, 2028, and were reviewed in full by commissioners during their October 14 meeting.

“These contracts help Grant PUD reach its state clean-energy goals,” the utility said in a statement. “Royal Slope Energy Center will advance Grant PUD toward meeting its power needs through 2030.”

In a joint announcement from San Francisco-based Clearway Energy Group, the developer of the project, both parties described the partnership as a milestone in ensuring reliable, sustainable energy for Grant County’s growing power demands.

“This partnership with Grant PUD reflects our shared vision to bring reliability and near-term power supply to regions experiencing significant load growth from data centers and industrial demand,” said Valerie Wooley, Senior Vice President of Origination at Clearway. “Royal Slope is a long-term investment in Washington’s energy independence and economic vitality.”

Grant PUD’s 2024 Integrated Resource Plan identified the need for new energy and storage resources to maintain reliability and comply with state carbon reduction goals. The utility said the Royal Slope Energy Center will support those objectives by delivering both renewable generation and battery storage capacity by 2028, bringing the district closer to meeting its power-acquisition needs through 2030.

“We are excited to have this partnership with Clearway,” said John Mertlich, General Manager and CEO of Grant PUD. “The Royal Slope Energy Center, with its solar generation and storage capacity to match, will help provide for the increasing power demands of our customers and meet our evolving resource adequacy requirements.”

Once operational, the Royal Slope Energy Center is expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 87,000 homes. The project will be located on private, unincorporated land and will connect to the regional grid through the Vantage Substation, which is operated by the Bonneville Power Administration.

Clearway estimates the project will contribute $130 million in state and local tax revenue, benefiting education, first responders, and other public services. Construction will employ over 325 union laborers, creating significant short-term job opportunities in Grant County.

The Royal Slope Energy Center is slated to reach commercial operation by the end of 2027.