Sun Mountain solar
Deepening our investment in Colorado’s clean energy future
About the Sun Mountain Solar project
The 293MW Sun Mountain Solar project is Lightsource bp’s second in the city of Pueblo, Colorado with power sales to Xcel Energy. Together with Bighorn Solar, the projects represent a cumulative half billion-dollar private investment in Colorado’s clean power infrastructure.
In October 2021, Lightsource bp and Xcel Energy announced a PPA for the development of Sun Mountain Solar. Lightsource bp closed financing and mobilized construction of the project in December 2021. The project entered commercial operation in December 2022. Lightsource bp is the facility’s owner and operator, delivering the solar energy the Sun Mountain Solar project generates to Xcel Energy under the long-term power purchase agreement. Xcel Energy provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states.
The Sun Mountain power purchase agreement supports Xcel Energy’s current Colorado Energy Plan that is expected to provide electricity from approximately 80% renewable sources and reduce carbon emissions 85% by 2030, while maintaining affordable and reliable service for customers. It also supports Colorado’s clean energy goal to reduce emissions statewide 26% by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 90% by 2050 – creating cleaner and healthier communities across Colorado while contributing to local economies.
Bighorn Solar, Lightsource bp’s first Pueblo project powering the EVRAZ Rocky Mountain Steel mill, provides an additional 300MW of solar-generated electricity to Xcel Energy. At both the Sun Mountain and Bighorn solar farms, Lightsource bp is installing and conserving in total over 3,000 acres of shortgrass prairie, creating habitat for wildlife while bolstering the sites’ ability to sequester carbon.
293MWᴅᴄ
/200MWᴀᴄ clean energy generation capacity
406,000
metric tons of CO2 saved per year
87,500
fuel-burning cars taken off road (equivalent)
53,900
equivalent US homes powered per year
400
construction jobs created; the majority local
Site selection & preliminary design
Stakeholder outreach
Permitting & environmental studies
Land management & biodiversity planning
Final engineering, financing & construction
Operation & maintenance
Decommissioning & recycling
Responsible Solar Stories
Find out more about our Responsible Solar approach
Restoring prairie and sinking carbon in Colorado
Sinking carbon on solar farms: A new kind of PV + Storage
Helping make solar technology and job training accessible to underserved communities
Our partnership with GRID Alternatives in Colorado
Our commitment to solar panel recycling & safety
Our commitment to recycling solar panels
Information and resources
We’ve put together a collection of resources for anyone who’d like to know more about utility-scale solar energy.
Solar farm FAQs
We’ve put together a list of the most commonly asked questions, and their answers.
Solar energy basics
National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)
Lightsource bp educational materials
Solar panel safety and recycling
Connect with a community ambassador
Lightsource bp is dedicated to supporting communities that are home to our solar projects across America. That’s why we have an entire Community Relations team that works closely with our neighbors to maximize the positive social impacts of our projects.
If you would like to connect with a Community Relations Manager, please email USCommunityRelations@lightsourcebp.com.
If you are a member of the media, please visit our Press Center.
Lightsource bp has been a proud supporter of Pueblo’s Minnequa Elementary and the Care & Share Food Pantry since 2020.