A proposed power-generation and storage complex in the Stanfield area goes before Arizona's Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee on Monday. For Maricopa-area residents who want to follow the case or put a comment into the record, the most useful window comes Monday evening.
The hearing on the Marigold Energy Center begins Monday, Sept. 21, at 10 a.m. at the Francisco Grande Hotel & Golf Resort, 12684 W. Gila Bend Highway in Casa Grande. The committee may continue the hearing on weekdays through Friday, Sept. 25, starting at 9 a.m. each day as necessary.
A dedicated public-comment session is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday. The Arizona Corporation Commission's hearing calendar and SRP's Marigold project page say people may comment in person, by telephone or through Zoom. SRP has posted separate links for watching the daily hearing and joining the evening comment session.
Check those pages before participating. The committee can adjust the schedule, recess the proceeding or conduct a site tour, and the state says online and telephone details or revisions will be posted through the project and commission pages.
What SRP is proposing
Salt River Project describes Marigold as a mixed generation and storage facility intended to meet growing demand in central Arizona. Its current plan includes:
600 megawatts of solar generation
400 megawatts of battery energy storage
up to 675 megawatts of gas-fired generation
a 230-kilovolt/500-kilovolt substation
approximately four miles of new 230-kilovolt transmission lines
Those are proposed project components, not a description of an operating facility. SRP filed separate Certificate of Environmental Compatibility applications in August for the transmission-line and thermal-plant portions. The state lists them as Case 267 for the transmission project and Case 268 for the thermal plant.
SRP's board approved development of the project on Sept. 14, but that board action did not end the outside review. The company says the state siting decision is expected in November. It also submitted a Class I air-permit application to the Pinal County Air Quality District on Sept. 11, a separate review listed on the project page.
The proposed location is in the Stanfield area, outside the City of Maricopa. Residents can use OurMaricopa's local directory and community and public-services listings to find nearby utilities and government resources, but the official hearing record remains with the state.
Why the project matters in Maricopa
The direct Maricopa connection is Electrical District No. 3. ED3 supplies electricity in Maricopa, Stanfield and surrounding areas. SRP says ED3 is evaluating a potential partnership that could allow the district to procure a portion of the power generated at Marigold.
That wording is important. SRP has not described the ED3 arrangement as completed. The hearing is also not a vote on a new Maricopa utility rate, and the current project page does not promise a specific effect on local bills.
SRP says Marigold could support 300 to 400 jobs during peak construction and up to 45 full-time jobs after completion. It expects construction to begin in January 2027 and the project to come online in 2032. Those dates and employment estimates come from the developer and remain dependent on approvals, construction and later operating decisions. Readers watching local hiring can also check OurMaricopa's job listings, while treating any future Marigold opening as a separate, verified posting.
What happens next
The Siting Committee will hear evidence on the environmental compatibility applications, take public comment and decide what recommendation or action to advance through the state's process. The proceeding can span several days, so Monday's opening does not guarantee a same-day result.
For anyone planning to speak, the safest route is to open the SRP participation page shortly before the session and follow its current Zoom or telephone instructions. Anyone attending in person should also check for a schedule or room change.
The project is substantial, and it has moved beyond an early concept. It is still going through required state and County reviews. Monday's hearing is where residents can hear the evidence and make their views part of the record before the next decisions are made.
Sources
Arizona Corporation Commission — Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee, Hearings and Meetings. Marigold cases 267 and 268. Current hearing schedule accessed Sept. 20, 2026. Source for dates, location, docket numbers and public-comment methods.
Salt River Project — Marigold Energy Center. Official project page. Updated page accessed Sept. 20, 2026. Source for project components, hearing links, CEC filings, air-permit filing and proposed location.
Salt River Project Newsroom — “SRP Board Approves Marigold Energy Center.” Official announcement. Published Sept. 14, 2026; accessed Sept. 20, 2026. Source for board action, developer schedule, employment estimates, anticipated state decision and possible ED3 partnership.