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Caldwell County, Texas: solar, wind, and storage projects and permits
Queue data as of ERCOT's September 2026 GIS report · Contacts checked 2026-09-26 · Next update early next month
16 proposed energy projects from ERCOT's September 2026 report, plus who to call in Caldwell County and in TCEQ Region 11 before signing a solar, wind, or battery storage lease.
Check land in Caldwell CountyOpens the land report with the map on the county; click a spot for its flood, wetland, habitat, line-distance and parcel check.
Power reliability here: minutes without power per year, outages per year, and outage length for Caldwell County, 2013–2024, from the serving utilities' EIA filings.
What energy projects are proposed in Caldwell County?
ERCOT's September 2026 interconnection report lists 16 proposed energy projects in Caldwell County (3 solar, 7 battery storage and 6 gas), about 4,518 MW in all. 3 of the 16 have a signed interconnection agreement.
What stands out in Caldwell County
By capacity, gas leads in Caldwell County with 3,505 MW across 6 projects, followed by battery storage (7 projects, 832 MW) and solar (3 projects, 181 MW). The largest single project is Caldwell County Energy Center, a 1,500 MW gas combined cycle project listed under Caldwell County Energy Center, LLC, still in study, and its target online date is Apr 2030. Of the 16, 13 are still in ERCOT's study process and 3 have a signed interconnection agreement but no security posted yet. Connection points are mostly at 138 kV (8 projects) and 345 kV (8 projects) (why the voltage matters). The single most-used connection point is Double Tap 345kV #7042 Zorn - #7040 Austrop and #7042 Zorn - #9074..., shared by 3 projects. Demeter Solar, LLC and LCRA are each listed on 3 projects; 11 different companies appear in all. Target online dates for the projects not yet running span Oct 2027 to May 2033. All of them fall in ERCOT's South load zone. 1 that was listed in August has since dropped off.
A listing is a request to study a grid connection, not a built project; the stage column says how far each one has gone.
Stage, most advanced first: Approved for synchronization (first power) · Approved for energization (backfeed) · Under construction · Signed; security posted (interconnection agreement signed and financial security posted) · Signed (agreement signed, security not yet posted) · In study (screening or full interconnection study, no agreement). A target date that has already passed is marked; ERCOT keeps the developer's last reported date until the developer changes it.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Project and connection point | Developer as listed by ERCOT | Type | MW | Target online date iThe commercial operation date the developer reported to ERCOT (ERCOT calls it the projected COD). Developers set and change it, many projects slip, and some are never built. It is not a promise or a construction date. | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCHNEIDER GAS RICEDouble Tap 345kV #7042 Zorn - #7040 Austrop and #7042 Zorn - #9074... · shared with 2 other requests | LCRA | Gas engines | 113.0 | Dec 2032 | Signed Dec 2025 |
| SCHNEIDER GAS RICE PHASE 2Double Tap 345kV #7042 Zorn - #7040 Austrop and #7042 Zorn - #9074... · shared with 2 other requests | LCRA | Gas engines | 113.0 | Dec 2032 | Signed Dec 2025 |
| SCHNEIDER COMBINED CYCLEDouble Tap 345kV #7042 Zorn - #7040 Austrop and #7042 Zorn - #9074... · shared with 2 other requests | LCRA | Gas combined cycle | 880.0 | May 2033 | Signed Dec 2025 |
| TAIN SOLARtap 138kV 7216 Lockhart - 7224 Luling City | Abei Energy Green VII LLC | Solar | 37.5 | Oct 2027 | In study |
| Volunteer Storage7216 Lockhart 138kV | Blackjack Storage LLC | Battery storage (stand-alone) | 50.6 | Feb 2028 | In study |
| Elbus BESS9075 Lytton 138kV | BRP Elbus BESS LLC | Battery storage (stand-alone) | 201.0 | Jun 2028 | In study |
| Big Watt Power Austin-1Tapping the 345 kV Double circuit Line: Zorn (Bus# 7042) - Lytton S... | Big Watt Power Austin-1 LLC | Gas combined cycle | 449.0 | Nov 2028 | In study |
| Lytton Springs BESSLytton Springs (#9074) – Fayette Plant (#7055) 345 kV Line · shared with 1 other request | SMT Lytton Springs LLC | Battery storage (paired with solar) | 76.4 | Dec 2028 | In study |
| Lytton Springs SolarLytton Springs (#9074) – Fayette Plant (#7055) 345 kV Line · shared with 1 other request | SMT Lytton Springs LLC | Solar | 55.3 | Dec 2028 | In study |
| Demeter SolarTap 138kV 7224 LULING - 7216 LOCKHART · shared with 2 other requests | Demeter Solar, LLC | Solar | 88.0 | Jun 2029 | In study |
| Demeter StorageTap 138kV 7224 LULING - 7216 Lockhart · shared with 2 other requests | Demeter Solar, LLC | Battery storage (paired with solar) | 65.0 | Jun 2029 | In study |
| Demeter Storage 2Tap 138kV 7224 LULING - 7216 Lockhart · shared with 2 other requests | Demeter Solar, LLC | Battery storage (paired with solar) | 138.0 | Jun 2029 | In study |
| Bobcat Generating StationBetween (7042) ZORN & (9074) LYTTON SPRINGS Substations on ONCOR 34... | Critical Grid Solutions Bobcat, LLC | Gas engines | 450.0 | Nov 2029 | In study |
| Ardesia StorageTap 138kV 7325 Mendoza - 7216 Lockhart | Ardesia Storage Project LLC | Battery storage (stand-alone) | 100.0 | Mar 2030 | In study |
| Caldwell County Energy Center#7051 Misty Substation 345kV | Caldwell County Energy Center, LLC | Gas combined cycle | 1,500.0 | Apr 2030 | In study |
| Metro BESS138 kV LYTTON8 (9075) | Metro BESS LLC | Battery storage (stand-alone) | 200.7 | Dec 2030 | In study |
No longer listed since August
These projects were in ERCOT's August interconnection report but are not in its September 2026 report. ERCOT's reports do not say why a project leaves the list.
- Exodus BESS, battery storage, 201 MW (Exodus Solar LLC)
Crowded connection points in Caldwell County
Substations and switching stations named by two or more of the county's requests, matched on ERCOT's PSS/E bus number rather than the exact wording, so "60404 SOLSTICE", "AEP Solstice Substation #60404" and a tap off the Solstice line count together. Every request statewide that names the bus is listed; a request on a tap line counts toward both ends. Sharing a bus is not the same as sharing a study group, and ERCOT decides the latter.
Lockhart (7216) 138 kV 6 requests · 479 MW6 in study
- Demeter Storage 2 26INR0523 · Battery storage · 138 MW · In study
- Ardesia Storage 23INR0503 · Battery storage · 100 MW · In study
- Demeter Solar 25INR0129 · Solar · 88 MW · In study
- Demeter Storage 25INR0130 · Battery storage · 65 MW · In study
- Volunteer Storage 20INR0245 · Battery storage · 51 MW · In study
- TAIN SOLAR 22INR0473 · Solar · 38 MW · In study
Zorn (7042) 345 kV 14 requests · 4,993 MW · 5 in Caldwell County, 9 in Guadalupe, Bastrop9 in study, 5 signed
- SCHNEIDER COMBINED CYCLE 30INR0054 · Gas combined cycle · 880 MW · Signed Dec 2025
- Waterloo Solar 1 25INR0422 · Solar · 201 MW · Signed Sep 2024 · Bastrop
- Waterloo BESS 1 25INR0447 · Battery storage · 120 MW · Signed Sep 2024 · Bastrop
- SCHNEIDER GAS RICE 29INR0176 · Gas engines · 113 MW · Signed Dec 2025
- SCHNEIDER GAS RICE PHASE 2 31INR0013 · Gas engines · 113 MW · Signed Dec 2025
- Fort Worth Power Core Bastrop Gas Plant 26INR0560 · Gas combined cycle · 506 MW · In study · Bastrop
- Bobcat Generating Station 29INR0340 · Gas engines · 450 MW · In study
- Big Watt Power Austin-1 29INR0167 · Gas combined cycle · 449 MW · In study
- Alpha Power Phase 1 28INR0532 · Gas turbine · 400 MW · In study · Guadalupe
- Alpha Power Phase 2 29INR0363 · Gas turbine · 400 MW · In study · Guadalupe
- Alpha Power Phase 3 30INR0143 · Gas turbine · 400 MW · In study · Guadalupe
- Alpha Power Phase 4 31INR0025 · Gas turbine · 400 MW · In study · Guadalupe
- Alpha Power Phase 5 32INR0007 · Gas turbine · 400 MW · In study · Guadalupe
- Aster Solar 24INR0115 · Solar · 160 MW · In study · Guadalupe
Luling (7224) 138 kV 4 requests · 329 MW4 in study
- Demeter Storage 2 26INR0523 · Battery storage · 138 MW · In study
- Demeter Solar 25INR0129 · Solar · 88 MW · In study
- Demeter Storage 25INR0130 · Battery storage · 65 MW · In study
- TAIN SOLAR 22INR0473 · Solar · 38 MW · In study
Lytton Springs (9074) 345 kV 5 requests · 1,231 MW · 4 in Caldwell County, 1 in Fayette4 in study, 1 signed
- Monument Hill Solar 25INR0512 · Solar · 200 MW · Signed Dec 2025 · Fayette
- Bobcat Generating Station 29INR0340 · Gas engines · 450 MW · In study
- Big Watt Power Austin-1 29INR0167 · Gas combined cycle · 449 MW · In study
- Lytton Springs BESS 27INR0585 · Battery storage · 76 MW · In study
- Lytton Springs Solar 27INR0584 · Solar · 55 MW · In study
Austrop (7040) 345 kV 10 requests · 2,624 MW · 3 in Caldwell County, 7 in Milam, Bastrop, Travis5 signed, 2 in study, 2 approved for synchronization, 1 signed; security posted
- Stoneridge Solar 24INR0031 · Solar · 202 MW · Approved for synchronization · Milam
- Stoneridge BESS 25INR0389 · Battery storage · 102 MW · Approved for synchronization · Milam
- Sandow Solar 22INR0350 · Solar · 287 MW · Signed; security posted · Milam
- SCHNEIDER COMBINED CYCLE 30INR0054 · Gas combined cycle · 880 MW · Signed Dec 2025
- Waterloo Solar 1 25INR0422 · Solar · 201 MW · Signed Sep 2024 · Bastrop
- Waterloo BESS 1 25INR0447 · Battery storage · 120 MW · Signed Sep 2024 · Bastrop
- SCHNEIDER GAS RICE 29INR0176 · Gas engines · 113 MW · Signed Dec 2025
- SCHNEIDER GAS RICE PHASE 2 31INR0013 · Gas engines · 113 MW · Signed Dec 2025
- Fort Worth Power Core Bastrop Gas Plant 26INR0560 · Gas combined cycle · 506 MW · In study · Bastrop
- AP Greenport 23INR0474 · Battery storage · 100 MW · In study · Travis
Lytton (9075) 138 kV 2 requests · 402 MW2 in study
- Elbus BESS 23INR0135 · Battery storage · 201 MW · In study
- Metro BESS 27INR0478 · Battery storage · 201 MW · In study
Fayette (7055) 345 kV 3 requests · 332 MW · 2 in Caldwell County, 1 in Fayette2 in study, 1 signed
- Monument Hill Solar 25INR0512 · Solar · 200 MW · Signed Dec 2025 · Fayette
- Lytton Springs BESS 27INR0585 · Battery storage · 76 MW · In study
- Lytton Springs Solar 27INR0584 · Solar · 55 MW · In study
What the stages and dates mean: how to read ERCOT's report. ERCOT's report lists self-limiting facilities (batteries that limit injection below nameplate) at 0 MW; repowers of existing plants show 0 with no capacity change. "Approved for energization" and "approved for synchronization" are ERCOT's own milestones (backfeed, then first power). "Shared with N other requests" counts active requests anywhere in ERCOT naming the same point of interconnection, matched on ERCOT's exact wording, so a bus written two ways counts as two points. Source: ERCOT Generator Interconnection Status (GIS) Report, September 2026, planning data entered by developers and transmission providers that ERCOT says may contain errors. Parcel & Grid is not affiliated with ERCOT.
Who to contact in Caldwell County
- Caldwell County appraisal district and tax office: parcel records and agricultural valuation, which a lease can end (directory, Texas Comptroller · rollback taxes).
- TCEQ Region 11, Austin: 12100 Park 35 Circle, Bldg A, Rm 179, Austin TX 78753, 512-339-2929; spills, 24 hours: 800-832-8224. Handles the construction stormwater permit for sites of 1 acre or more (TCEQ).
- Caldwell County judge and commissioners court: road use agreements, tax agreements, and floodplain development permits where the county takes part in the flood insurance program.
- Flood maps: FEMA map search for Caldwell County.
Permits and reviews for Caldwell County
Texas has no state siting permit for solar or wind, and Texas counties generally have no zoning authority, so a project in Caldwell County is shaped by site control, the county road use agreement, tax agreements, and the grid connection (what still applies · the twelve approvals, stage by stage). Wetland, endangered species, historic, and FAA reviews depend on the site: statewide and federal contacts · decommissioning law.
Local action: as of October 17, 2026, we found no 2024–2026 commissioners court action on solar, wind, or battery storage posted on Caldwell County's website or reported by local news. Counties act mostly through tax abatement and road use agreements, so ask the county judge's office whether any are pending.
How a project in Caldwell County connects to the grid
Caldwell County is on the ERCOT grid. The projects listed above are in ERCOT's South load zone. The serving utility handles the connection request. Interconnection by market and utility · what ERCOT is.
How long it takes. ERCOT staff put the connection process at 18 to 30 months for generation of 10 MW or more, before construction or supply delays (ERCOT, Oct. 2024). Across the U.S., the median project built in 2025 took 61 months from interconnection request to commercial operation (Berkeley Lab, Queued Up 2026), so a lease signed today usually means construction years out: timelines by market.
Solar for homes and businesses in Caldwell County
Texas rules for rooftop and on-site systems are the same in every county; your electric utility sets the application steps: Texas home and business solar rules · your utility's application links.
Get the land report for a spot in Caldwell County
Get a free land report for any point: flood zone, wetlands, nearest power line, soils, and parcel acreage.
Other counties served by TCEQ Region 11
Bastrop · Blanco · Burnet · Fayette · Hays · Lee · Llano · Travis · Williamson