BLM authorises construction start of 300-MW solar project in California

EDF Renewables North America (EDFR) has secured the green light from the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to launch the construction of its 300-MW Desert Quartzite solar project in California’s Riverside County.

The project is estimated to result in a private infrastructure investment of USD 1 billion (EUR 933.2m), the Department of Interior (DOI) agency said on Tuesday.

The Notice to Proceed, issued by the Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, enables the company to start building the photovoltaic (PV) complex, along with an on-site substation, switchyard, site security, a 230-kV generation-tie line, and an operations and maintenance facility. BLM anticipates construction to commence this month and last up to 16 months, with the site’s commissioning due to take place by December 2024.

Desert Quartzite will be installed on roughly 3,000 acres (1,214 ha) of BLM-administered public land near Blythe and is set to generate electricity for around 120,000 homes. Under the plan, it will be coupled with 150 MW/600 MWh of lithium-ion battery storage capacity.

BLM approved the Desert Quartzite solar project in January 2020. A year later, EDFR signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Clean Power Alliance (CPA) after taking part in the California power provider’s 2020 Clean Energy request for offers (RFO).

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.933)

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