Celebrating Energy and Community Investment in Bell County – Dignitaries Meet at the Chillingham Project with ENGIE

Officials from Google, Smurfit Westrock, the American Clean Power Association, and Bell County today joined ENGIE and several of its landowners and local residents to celebrate the Chillingham Solar and Energy Storage Project. The project is capable of producing 500 megawatts (MW) of energy, via 350 MW of solar and 150 MW of battery storage, and represents more than $540 million of construction investment.  In keeping with the area’s agricultural heritage, hundreds of cattle, horses, and other animals graze around the site. Further, a native grass seed mixture has been sown to replenish soil and feed local pollinators. 

Along with the electricity produced, Chillingham will be generating significant economic benefits locally for decades to come. Lease payments to landowners, approximately 400 jobs during construction, 20 long-term jobs to manage the facility, numerous purchases of local goods and services, more than $15 million in new tax revenue to Bell County, and $64 million to the Rogers Independent School District in support of students, teachers, and educational projects are all cemented as a result of the Chillingham Project.

“We’re glad to be here in Bell County and want to thank all who joined us today for their support in making the Chillingham project, ENGIE’s largest and most significant investment to date, a reality,” said Dave Carroll, ENGIE Managing Director of Renewables and Flexible Generation. “Chillingham underscores ENGIE’s objectives both to enhance energy security and affordability in Texas as power demand continues to grow while enabling our customers and the local community where we’re investing and operating over the long term to prosper.” 

“As the need for energy continues to increase across our State, I am pleased that Bell County can be a part of the solution.  With the investment that ENGIE is making in Bell County in renewable, clean energy, we are better positioning our State, and our region, to meet the demands of a growing population.  Thank you ENGIE.” 

ENGIE customers including Google and Smurfit Westrock are sourcing electricity from Chillingham in support of their energy goals via renewable power purchase agreements. 

"ENGIE’s mission to balance impact on business with impact on people and the planet dovetails with our own aims at Smurfit Westrock and our belief that sustainable business is good business,” said Garrett Quinn, Chief Sustainability Officer, Smurfit Westrock. “We appreciate this opportunity to demonstrate our shared commitment to support local communities, increase production of renewable energy and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.” 

“ENGIE’s Chillingham project is representative of the state’s efforts to leverage energy storage and solar as part of its all-of-the-above energy strategy, especially as demand for power surges,” says JC Sandberg, ACP Chief Policy Officer. “The project is also instrumental in lowering energy costs for consumers while enhancing power reliability and resiliency for all Texans.” 

In addition to a brief speaking program, concluding with $25,000 donations to the Rogers Volunteer Fire Department and City of Rogers in support of a new walking trail alongside Rogers City Park, attendees enjoyed lunch at Oscar Store before a guided tour by ENGIE staff to learn more about the operation of the Chillingham facility.  

 

About ENGIE in Texas 

ENGIE has been conducting business and investing in Texas for 40 years and employs approximately 900 people in the state. Our headquarters are in Houston, and today, we have wind, solar, and battery storage projects across Texas that account for more than 7.5 gigawatts of clean energy in operation, under construction, or in development and an investment of more than $7 billion in the Lone Star State. 


Contact: Julie Vitek  

julie.vitek@engie.com or 617 593 2122