NEW YORK, June 20 (Reuters) - NextEra Energy Resources

broke ground on a 310 megawatt solar farm to power facilities of

chemical manufacturer INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, the

petrochemical business said on Thursday.

The solar plant in Bosque County, Texas, which the

subsidiary of NextEra Energy Partners ( NEP ) will build, own

and operate, is expected cut 310,000 tons of carbon emissions

after starting up in late 2025, INEOS said in a statement.

"This solar project is a crucial step in our global efforts

to reduce the carbon footprint of INEOS businesses," the

company's Chief Executive Officer Mike Nagle said in a

statement.

U.S. solar installations reached record highs last year as

climate-driven government incentives, coupled with an easing of

restrictions on imported panels and rising electricity demand,

propelled the sector.

Electrifying the Texas oil and gas industry is expected to

be one of the biggest drivers of growth in industrial power

demand.

The solar farm for INEOS is slated to produce an annual

730,000 megawatt-hours, or the equivalent of electricity needed

to power nearly 70,000 homes.