Rio Tinto has signed a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement with TerraGen to supply renewable electricity to its Kennecott copper operations in Utah, U.S.
Under the agreement, Rio Tinto will purchase 78.5 megawatts of renewable energy generated by TerraGen’s 238.5-megawatt Monte Cristo I Windpower project.
The agreement is in line with Rio Tinto’s corporate climate strategy, which targets a reduction in its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050.
About 78 per cent of the electricity the company uses comes from renewable sources, and the company is making investment and supply decisions to increase this to around 90 per cent by 2030.
Rio Tinto Kennecott Managing Director Nate Foster said the agreement with TerraGen strengthens the company’s renewable energy portfolio in the U.S. and supports the growth of greenfield renewable energy generation capacity.
“It’s the latest in a series of renewable energy projects for Kennecott, following the installation of a 5-megawatt solar plant in 2023, and a second 25-megawatt solar plant nearing completion.
“We continue to look for ways to power our operations while also lowering our emissions to help achieve Rio Tinto’s long-term decarbonisation goals,” Foster said.