Copper Crossing Solar Ranch

The Copper Crossing Solar Ranch is located about 65 miles southeast of Phoenix and reached commercial operation in August 2011. The approximately 66,300 photovoltaic (PV) modules generate 20 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable energy and contribute jobs and tax revenue to the local community. Salt River Project (SRP) purchases all the solar energy produced at the Copper Crossing Solar Ranch.   Wood/Patel was the civil engineer of record for the design and preparation of grading and paving plans to support the 143-acre 20MW PV Solar Plant operated by Iberdrola for Salt River Project (SRP) Utility. Iberdrola and EPC engaged WOODPATEL – SunPower Corporation, to provide survey, grading, and drainage design and plan preparation to obtain agency approvals for construction permitting. Tasks included performing boundary and topographic surveys, lot split parcel descriptions, and preliminary grading and drainage concepts which were complimentary to the array layout planned by SunPower. The team added value to the project by designing an efficient grading concept resulting in minimal, economical site grading. Additional value added was the ability to quickly design and prepare a preliminary grading plan that allowed SunPower to obtain an “at risk” grading permit from the Town of Florence and start construction before the expiration of the federal incentive program.