At the risk of summoning the ghost of Stevie Ray Vaughn, there’s a flood down in Texas- a flood of generation assets coming online.

According to a recent update distributed to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Board of Directors, more than 10.8 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity have been electrified in Texas since last summer. That’s a lot!

Energy storage (4,942 megawatts) and solar (4,243 MW) account for the lion’s share of new resources, followed by natural gas and diesel (1,515 MW) and onshore wind (148 MW). A continued influx of storage has proven to be a panacea to problems that plagued ERCOT during the sweltering heat of summer 2023, flattening peaks and sidestepping potential brownouts in the years since.

Only California compares to the blistering pace of growth in the Lone Star State; the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) added 2,127 MW of resource adequacy eligible nameplate capacity from September 2025 through the end of March 2026, and anticipates another 6,194 MW to come online by the end of this month (that includes the ISO’s share of the sprawling SunZia Wind project in New Mexico, 3,167 MW).

ERCOT can usher prospective projects to first power more quickly than other regions with its Connect and Manage approach to interconnection, allowing generators to plug into the grid as long as local capacity permits, but subject to potential curtailment. And since the ERCOT grid is contained entirely within Texas state lines, it is exempt from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) oversight, allowing it to be much more nimble and kind of do its own thing. As peers, MISO, PJM, and SPP actively reevaluate their own kinda-sorta broken interconnection processes, perhaps there’s something to be learned here?

Right now, Texas is tooling up to serve preposterous load growth projections. In a filing with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), ERCOT predicts potential peak demand to climb from today’s record 85,508 MW to about 278,003 MW by 2029, and 367,790 MW by 2032. That high‑growth scenario, as one might expect, includes large load requests from gobs of mega-industrial and data‑center projects, drawn to ERCOT’s speed-to-power like moths to a flame.

ERCOT and the PUCT are currently working to create a more realistic forecast to accurately reflect the growing demand, but if just a fraction of that growth materializes, even an impressive 10.8 GW of new capacity in seven months won’t be enough to keep pace. That seems like a crazy thing to type, considering load growth in the United States remained mostly stagnant for decades, but here we are.

Can data center developers have their cake and eat it while the lights stay on for the rest of us? Stay tuned to find out.

---

Welcome to the Factor This Brief, a weekly collection of energy industry finance and development updates, delivered straight to your inbox on Monday mornings and hosted in a not-so-brief fashion here on Factor This, featuring the people, projects, and technology driving our electric future.

Thanks for checking it out. If you like what you see or want to recommend a story for next week, drop me a line. Until then, may you crush every hanging off-speed pitch life throws your way deep into the leftfield bleachers.

---

Sodium-Ion is Coming to Cali

Things are heating up for sodium-ion battery pioneer Alsym Energy, but not in a thermal runaway kind of way, true to the hallmark of its storage technology.

This month, Alsym signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with domestic manufacturer Re:Build Manufacturing to develop commercial-scale sodium-ion battery cell manufacturing capacity in the United States. In April, the company signaled its intent to team up with long‑duration energy storage system (LDES) manufacturer ESS Tech in a deal that would add 8.5 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of cells and modules to the otherwise iron-flow-focused storage company’s portfolio. 

Alsym is also partnering with renewable energy developer Juniper Energy to deploy 500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery energy storage systems (BESS), primarily across California. By integrating Alsym’s Na-Series technology, Juniper will deploy storage assets that eliminate the fire risks associated with traditional lithium-ion chemistries in high-temperature regions like the Mojave Desert.

“While much of the industry focuses on how batteries handle temperate climates, we see the most significant climate and market opportunity in high-temperature environments,” Mukesh Chatter, co-founder and chief executive officer of Alsym Energy, shared with Factor This. “Lithium-ion chemistries degrade rapidly or require massive energy-intensive cooling when ambient temperatures rise. Our technology is designed to thrive in high-heat environments where the cooling load for a traditional Li-ion ‘big battery’ would be cost-prohibitive. This unlocks the ‘Sun Belt’ grid markets, including deserts and tropical regions, where solar is abundant but storage has been hampered by the high cost of thermal management.”

The initial phase of the partnership focuses on multi-megawatt deployments, with a long-term vision to scale Alsym-powered assets across Juniper’s entire development pipeline. The 30-minute fast-charging capability of the Na-Series will enable Juniper to capitalize on a wide range of revenue-generating use cases, from daily solar shifting to frequency regulation. Having a domestic supply chain will also grant Juniper a “lithium-free” hedge against global volatility and environmental concerns related to rare-metal mining, in addition to maximizing the financial attractiveness of its renewable projects by ensuring access to One Big Beautiful Bill (OBB) tax credits and Department of Energy (DOE) incentives.

“After several years of evaluating the non-lithium landscape, it became clear that sodium-ion—and specifically Alsym’s Na-Series—is the premier solution for the next generation of California’s grid,” assessed Keith McDaniels, founder and managing partner of Juniper Energy. “Alsym’s ability to provide a safe, US-produced battery allows us to maximize tax credits and improve project IRRs while providing our off-takers with a more flexible, reliable, and cost-effective storage asset.”

Chatter told Factor This his company’s version of the sodium-ion battery addresses an elephant in the room for the storage industry: safety.

“Unlike lithium-ion or even generic sodium-ion variants, our specific chemistry is inherently non-flammable and does not enter thermal runaway,” he confirmed. “This allows us to support the grid in dense urban environments and inside existing infrastructure where the risk of fire has historically been a dealbreaker for regulators and insurers.”

“We believe that there will be a significant shift in stationary storage from lithium-ion solutions to sodium-ion ones. Within five years, it will be well established that sodium-ion is a better battery for stationary storage,” Aslym Energy’s CEO added, citing cost advantages, new market opportunities, and the firm’s physics-informed AI design platform.

Hybrid Projects Break Ground in New Mexico

Large independent power producer DESRI and newly launched investment platform Tierra Adentro Growth Capital (TAGC) have started construction on two co-located solar and battery energy storage projects in San Juan County, New Mexico.

Foxtail Flats Solar and Storage consists of a 170 MW solar project paired with an 80 MW/320MWh BESS, contracted under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Incorporated County of Los Alamos. It will provide a major new source of reliable, carbon-free electricity to Los Alamos, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, and Kirtland Air Force Base.

Four Mile Mesa Solar and Storage is a 100 MW solar farm and a 100MW/400 MWh BESS, procured through PNM’s Rate 36B to support Meta’s data center operations.

Together, the projects represent 270 MW of solar energy and 180 MW/720 MWh of battery energy storage, sited on land owned by the Ute Mountain Ute, and adjacent to DESRI’s operating San Juan Solar and Storage facility as well as the retired San Juan Generating Station. The projects are expected to begin commercial operations in 2027.

“These projects build on the success of our adjacent San Juan Solar and Storage facility and reflect DESRI’s commitment to the region’s clean energy transition. We are grateful for the continued partnership with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, the Incorporated County of Los Alamos, PNM, and Meta, and look forward to delivering reliable, cost-effective renewable energy to New Mexico,” said Thomas de Swardt, president of DESRI.

Financing for the construction of the projects was led by Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale and Santander Corporate & Investment Bank. SOLV Energy will serve as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for the solar and storage facilities.

IPP Inks Solar PPA and Framework with Ford

EDF power solutions, one of the largest renewable developers in North America and a constant annoyance to Grammarly due to its insistence on “power solutions” not being capitalized, has executed a 30-year PPA with the Joint Powers Authority Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA). The PPA covers the output from the 400 MWdc/300 MWac Utah Solar 1 Energy project for SCPPA participating member Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).

Utah Solar 1, located on state-owned lands managed by Utah Trust Lands Administration (TLA) in Millard County, Utah, expects to begin delivering electricity in mid-2027. It will crank out approximately 766,000 MWh of clean energy annually, enough to power 126,800 average California homes. The peak construction phase will employ approximately 400 workers, and Utah Solar 1 should generate more than $40 million in local tax revenue and $27 million in lease revenue for TLA over the term of the PPA.

“As the nation’s largest municipal utility, LADWP is demonstrating that decarbonization at scale is possible—and we are not wavering in our commitment to achieve our clean energy goals,” ventured Dave Hanson, interim general manager of LADWP. “Utah Solar 1 strengthens power reliability and affordability for our customers while unlocking our ability to bring more clean energy like green hydrogen from the Intermountain Power Project in Utah, to L.A. We appreciate the partnership with SCPPA and EDF power solutions to support sustainable energy solutions that will benefit Angelenos for generations to come.”

Built Ford tough?

Last month, EDF power solutions and Ford Energy, the new battery-making spinout of Ford Motor Company, unveiled a five-year framework agreement under which EDF can procure up to 4 GWh of Ford Energy DC Block BESS annually, representing a total potential volume of up to 20 GWh over the term of the agreement.

The Ford Energy DC Block is a standardized, 20-foot containerized energy storage system with a rated capacity of 5.45 MWh per unit. The system utilizes 512 Ah lithium iron phosphate (LFP) prismatic cells and is available in 2-hour and 4-hour discharge configurations, with an operating voltage range of 1,040–1,500 VDC and integrated liquid-cooled thermal management. The DC Block is designed for utility-scale applications, including frequency regulation, voltage support, energy arbitrage, peak load shifting, demand response, backup power, and microgrid integration.

Ford Energy is repurposing existing U.S. battery manufacturing capacity in Glendale, Kentucky, for its U.S.-assembled BESS, designed for utilities, data centers, and large industrial and commercial customers. The Ford subsidiary plans to deploy at least 20 GWh annually, targeting its first customer deliveries for late 2027.

“As we continue to expand our energy storage portfolio, supply chain reliability and product quality are paramount,” stated Tristan Grimbert, CEO, EDF power solutions North America. “Ford Energy’s commitment to domestic manufacturing and its rigorous approach to traceability and lifecycle support align with the standards we hold across our portfolio. This framework agreement gives us the supply visibility and product confidence we need to execute at the pace the energy transition demands.”

“This agreement with EDF power solutions validates the market’s need for a BESS supplier that combines industrial-scale manufacturing discipline with full lifecycle accountability,” added Lisa Drake, president of Ford Energy. “We are not simply delivering hardware. We are delivering the kind of predictable quality and long-term operational confidence that grid operators and large-scale developers require. Ford Energy was purpose-built to serve customers who cannot afford uncertainty in their energy storage supply chain.”

Someone is Actually Bringing Their Own Power

It’s one thing to say co-located generation is going to happen or talk about what it might mean to have megawatts and megawatts behind-the-meter; it’s another entirely to actualize new firm generation at scale and pair it with a high-intensity computational operation.

Credit, then, to Bitdeer Technologies Group, which focuses on AI and Bitcoin mining infrastructure, for breaking ground on a vertically integrated energy and high-performance computing facility near Fox Creek, Alberta, that pairs a 101 MW natural gas power plant with a data center offering approximately 100 MW of computing capacity.

Bitdeer acquired the fully licensed and permitted site, a power project originally developed by Kiwetinohk Energy Corp. and approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission, in February 2025. It now moves into its construction phase following years of permitting, engineering, environmental review, regulatory approvals, and consultation with local governments and First Nations. Energization is planned for Q2 2027.

Under Alberta’s bring-your-own-generation framework, the data center will be powered directly by the plant rather than drawing operating electricity from the grid. Bitcoin mining will enable the Fox Creek facility to put its full generating capacity to productive use from the day it energizes, while the data center is purpose-built to retain the flexibility to support future high-performance computing workloads, such as AI. The plant will remain connected to the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) grid, and during periods of peak demand or grid stress, the facility has the operational flexibility to curtail computing workloads and even send electricity back to the grid.

Tower Almost Powered

Clean energy company Avangrid has completed construction of its Tower Solar project in Morrow County, Oregon, and connected it to the regional electric grid. Avangrid expects to achieve commercial operation this summer.

The 166 MWdc/120 MWac project utilizes more than 250,000 solar panels assembled by SEG Solar at its Houston manufacturing facility. Once commissioning activity is complete, the project will deliver energy to Portland General Electric (PGE) and help support QTS operations in the region.

“As demand for electricity continues to grow across the United States and in the Pacific Northwest, projects like Tower Solar are essential to delivering new generation at scale,” said Avangrid CEO Jose Antonio Miranda. “Furthermore, this project demonstrates how investment in America’s electrical infrastructure contributes to our domestic economy, supports union workers, and delivers reliable electricity to support the region’s growth.”

Tower Solar is located west of Boardman, Oregon, and sits on about 900 acres of industrially zoned land owned by the Port of Morrow. Avangrid created approximately 200 jobs during construction, and Tower Solar is expected to pay about $20 million in combined PILOTs (payments in lieu of taxes) and property taxes, which will directly support the local community by helping fund public services like education.

Avangrid operates more than 11 GW of installed capacity across its 25-state portfolio, which includes nearly 100 energy projects.