Papago Storage
300 Megawatts

Blattner Energy

Prepared to Deliver. Built to last.

By the numbers:

• 300 megawatts/4 hours 

• 16 months

How Arizona's largest storage project succeeded through grit, planning and people.

Blattner partnered with developer Recurrent Energy to deliver Arizona’s largest energy storage facility near Tonopah – completed in just 16 months. Guided by a solid plan and strong collaboration, the team overcame harsh conditions and unique challenges to deliver Papago Storage on schedule, driven by transparency and trust.

That foundation set the stage for complex civil and electrical tasks. Blattner’s civil scope included constructing the substation base, battery foundation pads and drainage basins – all built to meet Maricopa County’s strict specifications. Installation crews drove more than 12,000 pile foundations into dense desert soil and placed battery containers, inverters and other critical equipment. The 525-kilovolt substation required precise engineering and rigorous electrical safety practices to handle its high-power capacity.

Despite early permit delays and compromised components tightening an already aggressive schedule, the team stayed on track without compromising safety or quality.

When a main power transformer arrived damaged – and a direct replacement would have taken years – Blattner and Recurrent Energy went to work on a solution. After Recurrent Energy identified a viable alternative, Blattner swiftly engineered it into the substation design, secured permits with Maricopa County and rebuilt the foundation. From discovery to energization, the entire deviation was resolved in under five months, keeping the project moving forward.

With no margin for delay, crews worked through extreme Arizona heat and rugged terrain while maintaining a strong safety record. Site leadership adjusted shifts to avoid peak temperatures, added extra crew rotations, and enforced mandatory visits to cooling connexes and hydration stations.

Throughout the build, Blattner and Recurrent Energy maintained open communication, shared real-time updates and collaborated on solutions. This partnership fostered trust and kept the project on track. Papago is proof of what defines Blattner: certainty under pressure, powered by technical expertise, a safety-first mindset and relentless commitment to precision.