Key Points
- The Pinal County Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-2 on October 16 to recommend approval of the Griffin Energy Project’s comprehensive plan amendment.
- The 2,685-acre facility, proposed by Copia Power, combines solar panels, battery storage, and natural gas generation to supply power directly to a planned data center.
- The project site is located southeast of Stanfield, Arizona, and extends on both sides of Interstate 8 between the Santa Rosa Wash and Greene Wash.
- The project now moves to the Board of Supervisors for final consideration before rezoning or construction can begin.
- Commissioners Tom Scott and Karen Mooney opposed the project, citing concerns about farmland loss, project scale, and temperature effects.
- Developer representatives emphasized the project’s economic benefits, projecting $10 billion in investment, over $1.1 billion in tax revenue, and more than 1,000 jobs when paired with the data center.
- Supporters argued the project helps repurpose farmland affected by the loss of CAP water, while critics raised concerns about open space, wildlife corridors, and dust control.
- The project’s hybrid energy mix aims to provide price stability and attract large-scale industrial users seeking clean and reliable power.
Commissioners recommend approval of 2,685-acre energy complex to power future data center
The Griffin Energy Project, a 2,685-acre integrated solar, battery, and natural gas facility proposed by Copia Power, advanced another step forward. The Pinal County Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-2 on October 16 to recommend approval of its comprehensive plan amendment. The large-scale energy development sits between the Santa Rosa Wash and Greene Wash and is designed to power a data center project—located south of the Ak-Chin Indian Community east of the City of Maricopa—that commissioners reviewed in the following agenda item that same day.
Court Rich of Rose Law Group, representing developer Copia Power, said the solar and battery components would each provide “up to 550 megawatts” of capacity, while the gas-fired power plant would generate “up to 500 megawatts.”
This recommendation follows up on our previous coverage, where commissioners initially expressed concerns about extensive flooding risks across the site. The project now moves to the Board of Supervisors for final consideration on the comprehensive plan amendment before any rezoning or construction can begin.
Direct Connection to Data Center Creates Different Dynamic
Rich emphasized what distinguishes this solar project from others the commission has reviewed.
“This is a solar project, but it’s not just a solar project and it’s different than every single other solar project you’ve ever seen,” Rich told commissioners. “It is directly designed to feed a project, the next project that’s coming before you, this data center that’s going to be in the county.”
Rich was referring to the Energy Generation and Technology Campus. The campus is planned east of the City of Maricopa and south of the Ak-Chin Indian Community. Commissioners would review that project later that same day.
Rich presented economic analysis from Elliott Pollack & Company projecting the combined projects’ impact. The projects would generate almost $10 billion in total investment. Tax revenue to the state and county would exceed $1.1 billion over 25 years. They would create 508 direct jobs plus 588 indirect jobs yielding $66 million in wages annually.
