AES Indiana aquisition of Crossvine bp solar panel project approved; completes Pike County battery park project
AES Indiana announced two updates to its generation projects. In a press release, the company announced the full operation of the Pike County Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to acquire and construct a project called Crossvine, a solar plus battery storage project located in Dubois County.
“These announcements represent the latest milestones in our more than a decade-long journey toward transitioning to a more balanced energy portfolio that adds flexibility to the grid while keeping costs affordable for our customers,” said Brandi Davis-Handy, President of AES Indiana. “As the needs of our customers and communities grow, so will the ways we reliably power their needs today and well into the future.”
Crossvine Project
Crossvine, which AES Indiana will purchase from Lightsource bp, is anticipated to bring 85 megawatts of solar capacity and 85 megawatts / 4 hours of battery power capacity to AES Indiana’s generation portfolio, once complete in mid-2027.
Crossvine is estimated to have the capacity to power approximately 14,500 homes, enabling AES Indiana to better meet customer needs and the state’s increasing power demands.
Crossvine Solar will be located west of the Huntingburg Regional Airport and will cover approximately 1,600 acres under lease, with about 650 acres dedicated to the panels. The solar park will produce 100 megawatts of power with panels designed to rotate to face the sun during the day.
The description of the project has slightly changed since it was presented to the Huntingburg Council in May of last year but here is a story on that meeting.
The Crossvine project helps to fulfill a generation need identified as part of AES Indiana’s 2022 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).
Crossvine will join AES Indiana’s portfolio of renewable projects that also includes Hoosier Wind in Benton County and Hardy Hills Solar in Clinton County. Altogether, Hoosier Wind, Hardy Hills and Crossvine are projected to generate approximately 760,000 MWh annually from solar generation, enough to power the equivalent of 63,000 homes when Crossvine is operational by mid-2027.
For more information on AES Indiana’s generation portfolio, visit aesindiana.com/power-generation.
Pike County BESS
The Pike County BESS is a groundbreaking achievement as one of the largest BESS projects within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) footprint. This project is part of approximately $1.1 billion in investments in Pike County from 2024 to 2026, which includes repowering Petersburg Generating Station Units 3 and 4 and adding two solar and battery storage projects announced last year.
- Pike County BESS can store and deliver 200 MW of electricity for up to four hours.
- Pike County BESS also has the capacity to power more than 38,000 homes during peak demand periods, ensuring grid stability and reliability.
To learn more about the Pike County BESS, go to aesindiana.com/pike-county.
