Enel Completes GulfStar, Its Largest Power Plant In The U.S

Enel North America completed its largest power plant in the United States with the start of operations of the 556-megawatt (MWdc) GulfStar solar plant in Wharton County, Texas. Co-located with an operational 355 MWdc battery energy storage system (BESS), the combined plant is built with 911 MWdc of capacity.

GulfStar’s two-phase BESS reached initial commercial operation in late 2024. Enel is the third-largest battery storage operator in the United States, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights[1]. As power grids across the country face challenges due to rising power demand and extreme weather, battery storage is a rapidly growing tool for reliability. Enel’s fleet of 14 battery energy systems can store and dispatch energy in real time in response to changing grid conditions.

The GulfStar solar and BESS facilities are expected to generate over 200 million US dollars in combined local tax payments and income for landowners over their lifetimes. More than 1,200 workers were involved in GulfStar’s construction.

Vegetation at GulfStar Solar will be managed through sheep grazing, a sustainable dual-use solar practice that Enel expanded through the largest solar grazing agreement signed in the United States.