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Yuma Today
By the People, for the People
BrightNight breaks ground on Pioneer Clean Energy Center
300-megawatt solar facility expected to power 77,299 homes and businesses in Yuma, Arizona
Published on Feb. 12, 2026
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BrightNight Power has broken ground on its new Pioneer Clean Energy Center, a 300-megawatt solar facility in Yuma, Arizona. The project is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power approximately 77,299 local homes and businesses while significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by project partners and community leaders, who highlighted the facility's impact on grid reliability, economic benefits, and water conservation.
Why it matters
The BrightNight Power Pioneer Clean Energy Center represents a significant investment in renewable energy development in the Yuma region, strengthening the local power grid and providing substantial economic and environmental benefits to the community. As the demand for clean energy continues to grow, projects like this one will play a crucial role in the transition to a more sustainable energy future.
The details
The BrightNight Power Pioneer Clean Energy Center is a 300-megawatt solar facility being developed on previously disturbed farmland in Yuma, Arizona. Once operational, the project is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power approximately 77,299 local homes and businesses, while also significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions. BrightNight carefully evaluated the grid's needs before selecting the project site, identifying Yuma as a location that requires both energy and capacity to maintain grid resilience.
- The groundbreaking ceremony for the BrightNight Power Pioneer Clean Energy Center took place on February 11, 2026.
- Commercial operations at the facility are expected to begin in April 2027.
The players
BrightNight Power
A renewable energy company that develops and operates utility-scale solar and energy storage projects.
Martin Hermann
The founder and CEO of BrightNight Power.
Erik Ellis
The Executive Vice President of Development at BrightNight Power.
Elliot D. Pollack & Company
A consulting firm that conducted economic impact studies for the BrightNight Power Pioneer Clean Energy Center project.
What they’re saying
“We study, always, at the very beginning how electrons are flowing and how that will change moving forward, and we identified in 2020 this is a location that not just needs energy, but also capacity to keep the power grid resilient.”
— Martin Hermann, Founder and CEO, BrightNight Power (KYMA)
“We're able to save a tremendous amount of water by harvesting a solar crop instead of an agricultural crop.”
— Erik Ellis, Executive Vice President of Development, BrightNight Power (KYMA)
What’s next
Commercial operations at the BrightNight Power Pioneer Clean Energy Center are expected to begin in April 2027.
The takeaway
The BrightNight Power Pioneer Clean Energy Center project represents a significant investment in renewable energy development in the Yuma region, strengthening the local power grid, providing economic benefits, and conserving water resources. As the demand for clean energy continues to grow, projects like this one will play a crucial role in the transition to a more sustainable energy future.
