Invenergy's Yuma Solar hosts ribbon cutting celebrating start of commercial operations, first solar in state
On May 2nd, 2025, Invenergy celebrated the start of commercial operations at the Yuma Solar Energy Center in Yuma County, Invenergy's first solar facility in the state.
Nearly 100 community members and stakeholders attended the ribbon cutting including State Representative Nick Kupper. The event also featured students from the Yuma Unified School District CTE, Work-Based Learning Alliance, and the Center for the Future of Arizona. Following remarks from local, state and business stakeholders, attendees were invited to take a site tour and visit open house stations to learn more about the site, the company and the development process.
“We are excited to celebrate the opening of Invenergy’s first Arizona solar facility,” said Paul Burman, Director of Renewable Development at Invenergy. “This significant milestone strengthens our partnership with APS and advances our commitment to powering Arizona. We thank Yuma County for their support and look forward to being a reliable partner to the community for many years to come.”
Invenergy's Kelly Zagrzebski participates in local emergency planning across state
Safety around our project sites is Invenergy's highest priority, and our Arizona team is getting involved with local emergency planning committees (LEPC) in Pinal and Maricopa Counties. These LEPCs encourage community safety by providing public information on the cause of hazardous material accidents and developing emergency response plans with the entities that handle, manufacture, store, transport, and dispose of hazardous chemicals. Both LEPCs are composed of community volunteers from elected positions, emergency services technicians, media agencies, community organizations, and industry, all dedicated to working together to create a safer community.
Invenergy's Hashknife Solar hosts groundbreaking event celebrating start of construction
Invenergy celebrated the start of construction at the Hashknife Solar Energy Center in Navajo County with a groundbreaking event at the project site on December 12, 2024. The event opened with a donation presentation for $1,000 from Invenergy to Navajo County Sheriffs Posse Search and Rescue. The groundbreaking event also included remarks from Invenergy and APS, as well as local and community leaders, followed by a gold shovel ceremony marking the start of construction.
“We are excited to break ground on the Hashknife Energy Center, taking the next step toward completing this solar and storage center with APS,” said Laura Miner, VP of Renewable Development at Invenergy. “Today, we also reach a new milestone in our long-standing relationship with the Navajo County community, and we look forward to further demonstrating our commitment to being a reliable partner for years to come.”
Invenergy supports Joseph City Unified School District with Electric Charger
In December 2024, Invenergy was honored to support the Joseph City Unified School District with a $12,000 donation to purchase an electric charger for the School District’s new electric school bus. This donation is another example of Invenergy’s dedication to supporting the communities where we develop, build, and operate. We look forward to being a long-term partner to the School District for years to come.
Invenergy announces start of commercial operations at El Sol Energy Storage Center with ribbon-cutting ceremony and donation to Soldier's Best Friend.
On November 18, 2024, Invenergy was thrilled to celebrate the start of commercial operations at the El Sol Energy Storage Center in Maricopa County, which is Invenergy's 10th operational project in the state. The team hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony that included a $10,000 donation to Soldier's Best Friend, an organization dedicated to helping U.S. military veterans living with combat-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) by pairing them with Service or Therapeutic Companion Dogs, many of which are rescued from local shelters. Veteran-based causes such as Soldier’s Best Friend are important to Invenergy and to our Arizona Operations and Maintenance Team, most of whom are veterans.
Invenergy was honored to host Senator Frank Carroll, ACC Commissioner Lea Marquez Peterson, Youngtown Mayor Michael LeVault, and representatives from APS and American Clean Power to celebrate this milestone for El Sol.
Yuma Solar Energy Center hosts Representative Tim Dunn
In November, the Yuma Solar Energy Center was honored to host Representative Tim Dunn for a tour of the facility, which is currently under construction. Representative Dunn is a lifelong Yuma resident who serves in the Arizona House of Representatives, representing Arizona District 25. The Invenergy team looks forward to supporting the Yuma County community for years to come.
Arizona Development team attends career fair in Navajo County
In Fall 2024, members of the Invenergy team were proud to attend a career fair in Navajo County. The team talked to students about careers in the clean energy industry, and enjoyed meeting with community leaders.
Arizona Development team attends Pinal Partnership's breakfast series: "Myths of Renewable Energy."
On August 16th, members of the Arizona Development and Community Affairs teams attended Pinal Partnership's Quarterly Breakfast, which was focused on educating the audience of local and state officials, businesses, utilities, and developers on the "Myths of Renewable Energy." We are grateful to be part of this partnership and look forward to more thoughtful engagement with Pinal County for years to come.
Pictured above from left to right Invenergy Senior Associate Developer Kate DeSpain, Invenergy Director of Renewable Energy Paul Burman, President of Pinal Partnership Tony Smith, and Invenergy Manager of Local and Community Affairs, Kelly Zagrzebski.
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El Sol Energy Storage Center Hosts Local Southwest Arizona Fire Districts for Safety Training and Site Tour
Last week, Invenergy hosted the Sun City, Peoria, El Mirage, and Surprise fire departments at the El Sol Energy Storage Center. Invenergy Operations and Maintenance and Engineering teams gave an extensive training overview including a classroom training followed by a site tour that included station demos and life safety response scenarios.
For more information on Energy Storage Safety click here
(Above: Senior Manager of Renewable Engineering, Jonathan Carroll shows part of a battery system to members of the Sun City Fire & Medical Department.
(Above: Photos from the various safety demonstration walk throughs with the El Sol team and members of the local fire departments.
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Kelly Zagrzebski Appointed to Co-Chair Pinal Partnership’s Renewable Energy Committee
Pinal Partnership’s Renewable Energy Committee was created to improve the quality of life and drive economic development in Pinal County by supporting the adoption of clean energy solutions and by attracting clean energy investment jobs.
Kelly Zagrzebski, Manager, Local and Community Affairs, at Invenergy, was recently appointed by the Partnership’s executive committee to co-chair the Renewable Energy Committee.
We are excited to see her leadership and expertise help the committee continue to embrace the potential of clean energy solutions for Pinal County.
To learn more about the Pinal Partnership, please visit: https://pinalpartnership.com/.
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El Sol Battery Energy Center Honors & Supports the Sun City Fire District
On December 14th, Invenergy hosted an event at El Sol Battery Energy Center in Youngtown, AZ, to recognize the invaluable work of the Sun City Fire Department and to celebrate the project's progress.
Invenergy presented a donation to the Sun City Fire Department during a special ceremony that reflects our commitment to supporting and collaborating with local first responders, ensuring the safety and well-being of the communities where we operate.
The event featured a speech from the Sun City Acting Fire Chief Rob Schmitz, the Arizona Public Service, and esteemed public officials including State Senator Frank Carroll and Youngtown Mayor Michael LeVault.
El Sol has been under construction since earlier this year and the event aligned with the delivery and installation of the batteries themselves.
“It is great to see a private sector driven energy storage project that increases our community’s access to safe, reliable, affordable electricity in our community,” said Senator Frank Carroll.
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Sun City Fire District Training for El Sol Storage
Members of the El Sol team held a successful training event for the Sun City Fire Department Command Staff on November 29th. Holding these types of training sessions with local first responders before the site becomes operational is a crucial aspect of our emergency response plans. This training ensures all on-site staff and emergency personnel are trained and equipped with the right tools and resources to handle any potential incident. We prioritize the safety of our teams and partners above all else, with policies, people and culture focused on promoting 24/7 accountability.
We thank the Sun City Fire Dept. for their participation and engagement during the seminar!
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Kelly Zagrzebski Appointed to Board of Advisors for United Way of Pinal County
Kelly Zagrzebski, Manager of Local and Community Affairs, was appointed to the Board of Advisors for United Way of Pinal County, whose local branch of the organization works to promote social, educational and community impact opportunities throughout Pinal County and the State of Arizona.
“It was ingrained in me for as long as I can remember, being a part of a community is giving back to the community.” “I am excited to join the board of directors of the United Way of Pinal County – it is my first step in giving back to my new community. I appreciate their focus on financial education and their partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library; two of my passions understanding how to become financially stable, and of course reading!” - Kelly Zagrzebski
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Kelly Zagrzebski joins The Western Maricopa Coalition (WESTMARC)
Kelly Zagrzebski also recently joined WESTMARC – The Western Maricopa Coalition – a group formed to address important issues facing the West Valley’s economic prosperity while “providing a united a voice for economic growth and the promotion of valued community engagement.” Invenergy joins WESTMARC as the first energy development company, allowing us the unique opportunity to build a beneficial relationship with the community, helping to promote and sustain their mission.