Creekstone Energy Secures Largest Solar Lease in Utah History

Creekstone Energy has secured a landmark 13,000-acre solar lease from Utah's School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, marking the largest solar lease in state history. This significant agreement is set to power the company's ambitious 20-million-square-foot Delta Gigasite data center campus located in Millard County. Ray Conley, founder and CEO of Creekstone Energy, emphasized that the project is more than just a data center; it's an "energy ecosystem." The company aims to generate over 1 gigawatt of solar power within 18 months to meet initial demands, with a long-term goal of managing a total of 10 gigawatts. This capacity will be drawn from various sources, including the Intermountain Power Project, natural gas, and potential geothermal or nuclear energy, with a memorandum of understanding already in place with EnergySolutions to explore nuclear options. Millard County officials have proactively granted the necessary zoning approvals, facilitating the development of this large-scale energy infrastructure. Chase Sheffield, Creekstone Energy's COO, highlighted the strategic advantage of the leased lands, local zoning approval, and existing energy infrastructure, creating a unique development corridor. Revenue generated from the state land lease will directly benefit Utah's public education system. Site preparation is expected to commence immediately, with the first phase of solar generation anticipated to be operational within the next year.