Panamint Capital has commenced construction on a 1.2-gigawatt solar initiative situated at the Twin Oaks power station in Robertson County, Texas, positioned between Dallas and Houston. Valued at $1.7 billion, the Big Rooter Power development stands as the largest solar installation planned at an active North American coal mining property.
The renewable energy addition will operate alongside the existing 310-megawatt lignite-fired power plant near Bremond, as Panamint has not scheduled the coal facility for retirement. Upon completion, the 10,000-acre Twin Oaks complex will feature nearly 1.5 gigawatts of total coal and solar capacity.
Construction is divided into two sequential phases across the property. Work is underway for the 491-megawatt Big Rooter West section, which targets an operational launch in August 2028. The 658-megawatt Big Rooter East phase is slated to begin construction in December 2026, with commercial activity anticipated by August 2029.
The development requires more than 34,000 tons of domestic steel and incorporates approximately 2 million panels produced by First Solar at factories in Ohio, Louisiana, and Alabama. Additionally, the project utilizes Nextpower NX Horizon solar trackers to optimize energy output throughout the day.
