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ContourGlobal starts Sterling construction with 509 MWp solar and 1.4 GWh storage

October 7 company announcement confirms construction, not operation. Solar DC/AC and battery MW/GWh remain separate; Tesla contract predates the milestone.

By Greener Numbers Editorial Team · Published October 9, 2026 · Updated 10/9/2026

ContourGlobal's October 7 announcement says construction has started on Project Sterling in Mohave County, Arizona, roughly 20 miles north of Lake Havasu City. October 9 coverage reports the milestone, but the company's original announcement is dated two days earlier. Construction is not evidence that the plant is already delivering electricity.

The company lists 509 MWp of solar capacity and 450 MWac, alongside 360 MW and 1.4 GWh of battery storage. Solar DC and AC ratings describe different parts of the system; battery power and stored energy are also different measures. The numbers should not be combined into a single generating-capacity total.

Construction is expected to continue through 2028 and involve an average of approximately 400 workers, according to the announcement. Those are company plans, not verified current vacancies or a guarantee of permanent jobs. The release describes more than 760,000 solar modules and over 300 battery containers across more than 2,000 acres.

Once operational, ContourGlobal expects annual generation of more than 1.1 TWh. Its long-term Tesla power purchase agreement covers more than 1 TWh a year, described as around 90% of expected output. The contract was announced in July; the fresh development is the construction milestone, not a newly signed Tesla agreement.

ContourGlobal says the batteries use lithium iron phosphate technology with liquid cooling and integrated fire protection. It also says an equity bridge loan from an international bank syndicate supports construction financing. The release does not provide the loan amount or establish that every construction or operating risk has been removed.

The company describes a design capable of delivering clean power for up to 16 hours a day. That is a project-level company claim about solar-plus-storage delivery, not 16 hours of discharge from the battery alone or a guarantee of round-the-clock service. The announcement does not establish a household bill reduction or an exact commercial-operation date.

Official source: contourglobal.com ↗