ENGIE North America, the North American subsidiary of French energy group Engie SA, has entered into new power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Meta Platforms, Inc., expanding their collaboration to over 1.3 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy projects in the United States. This announcement marks a new milestone in the commercial relationship between the two entities, with a particular focus on the state of Texas.
The main project of this extension is Swenson Ranch Solar, a 600 megawatt (MW) solar power plant located in Stonewall County, southeast of Lubbock. Once completed, this project will become the largest solar asset in ENGIE North America’s portfolio. The entire site will be dedicated to supplying electricity to Meta’s data centre operations in the United States.
A strategic asset in ENGIE’s US portfolio
Swenson Ranch Solar is part of a broader portfolio of more than 11 GW of solar, wind and battery storage projects that ENGIE North America currently operates or is constructing. The Texas facility represents a significant share of that capacity, reinforcing ENGIE’s footprint in the US renewable energy market.
Total investment for the construction of Swenson is estimated at $900mn, with commissioning planned for 2027. The project is expected to create over 350 skilled jobs during the construction phase, according to the company’s estimates. No additional details were disclosed regarding subcontractors or the exact construction schedule.
Meta aims for full electricity coverage
As part of this agreement, Meta has committed to purchasing 100% of the electricity generated by Swenson Ranch Solar, strengthening its energy supply strategy for its digital infrastructure. This acquisition complements Meta’s previous commitments to power its US data centres entirely with renewable energy.
Meta’s Head of Global Energy, Urvi Parekh, stated that expanding the partnership with ENGIE enables them to continue matching their full electricity use with renewable sources. No financial details about the long-term electricity purchasing terms were disclosed.