Top 10 Largest Solar Power Plants in the United States

A decade ago, a 500-megawatt solar farm was a rare giant. Today, the United States has 13 of them, and most were switched on in the past three years.

Gemini Solar in the Nevada desert now leads the country at 690 megawatts (MW), with two new Texas plants close behind. This list ranks the 10 largest by the solar capacity of each operating plant, using the U.S. Energy Information Administration's monthly inventory of power plants as of September 2026.

Largest Solar Power Plants in the US Ranked by Capacity

1. Gemini Solar, Nevada

Gemini Solar, in Clark County near Las Vegas, is the largest operating solar plant in the United States at 690 MW. It started running in 2024.

It is also one of the country's biggest solar and storage plants. A 380 MW battery system at the same site stores solar power during the day and releases it in the evening, when demand is high.

2. Longhorn Solar, Texas

Longhorn Solar, in Jack County, northwest of Dallas–Fort Worth, has 650 MW of solar capacity. It is one of the newest plants in the list, having started operating in 2026.

The plant is operated by Repsol Renewables North America, which also runs Outpost Solar, ninth in this ranking.

3. Hornet Solar, Texas

Hornet Solar, in Swisher County in the Texas Panhandle, has 600 MW of capacity. It started operating in 2025.

The plant was developed by Vesper Energy. The flat, sunny land of the Panhandle has made the region a growing base for large solar projects.

4. Double Back Diamond, Illinois

Double Back Diamond, in Sangamon County near Springfield, has 593 MW of solar capacity. It started running in 2024.

It is the largest solar plant in the Midwest and shows that very large solar projects are no longer limited to the sunny Southwest and Texas.

5. Topaz Solar Farm, California

Topaz Solar Farm, in San Luis Obispo County, has 586 MW of capacity. It is by far the oldest plant in this list, having come online in stages in 2013 and 2014.

When it was completed, Topaz was one of the largest solar plants in the world. More than a decade later, it is still among the five biggest in the United States.

6. Fox Squirrel Solar, Ohio

Fox Squirrel Solar, in Madison County west of Columbus, has 577 MW of capacity. It started operating in 2023 and is operated by EDF Renewables.

It is the second Midwest plant in the top 10, alongside Double Back Diamond in Illinois.

7. Maricopa Solar, Arizona

Maricopa Solar, in Maricopa County, the county that includes Phoenix, has 550 MW of solar capacity. It is one of three plants in this list that started operating in 2026.

8. Faraday Solar, Utah

Faraday Solar, in Utah County, south of Salt Lake City, has 525 MW of capacity. It started running in 2025 and is the largest solar plant in Utah.

9. Outpost Solar, Texas

Outpost Solar, in Webb County in South Texas, has 515 MW of capacity. It started operating in 2025.

Like Longhorn Solar, it is operated by Repsol Renewables North America. Texas has three plants in this top 10, more than any other state.

10. Centennial Flats, Arizona

Centennial Flats, in La Paz County in western Arizona, has 500 MW of solar capacity. It started operating in 2026 and is run by Copia Power.

The site also has 267 MW of battery storage, making it the second plant in the top 10 to pair large-scale solar with batteries.

Texas Leads, but Big Solar Is Spreading

Texas has three plants in the top 10 and the most solar capacity of any state, at about 35,000 MW. California follows with about 25,600 MW, then Florida with about 13,500 MW.

The list also includes plants in Illinois, Ohio and Utah. Large solar farms are now being built wherever land is available and power demand is growing, not just in the sunniest states.

US Solar Is Growing Fast

The United States now has about 172,000 MW of operating solar capacity at more than 7,600 plants. Solar plants that started operating in 2025 alone added about 29,700 MW.

Even bigger plants are on the way. The EIA lists more than 122,000 MW of planned solar projects, including Pepper Hammock Solar and Storage in Georgia at 2,100 MW, which would be three times the size of Gemini Solar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between AC and DC capacity at a solar plant?

Solar panels produce direct current (DC), which inverters convert into alternating current (AC) for the power grid. Most solar plants install more panel capacity than their grid connection, so the DC figure is higher. Gemini Solar in Nevada, for example, has about 967 MW of panels feeding 690 MW of grid capacity.

How much of America's power plant capacity comes from solar?

Solar made up about 12% of all operating US power plant capacity in September 2026, with about 172,000 MW installed, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

How much new solar capacity has the US added in 2026?

Solar plants that started operating in the United States between January and September 2026 added about 17,600 MW of capacity, according to EIA data as of September 2026.

How much solar power is under construction in the US?

About 36,000 MW of solar projects were under construction in the United States in September 2026, according to the EIA. Around 30,000 MW of that is due to start operating by the end of 2027.

Why are large solar farms paired with battery storage?

Solar plants produce the most power around midday, but electricity demand usually peaks in the early evening. Batteries store surplus solar power and release it later. The United States had about 56,000 MW of battery storage in operation in September 2026, according to the EIA.