Clearway Energy Group has begun commercial operations of a 482MW solar and 280MW battery plant in California.
Clearway joined customers, partners, and community members, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in San Bernardino County to celebrate reaching commercial operations at Daggett Solar+Storage.
The facility is located adjacent to the decommissioned Coolwater gas-fired power plant.
“This is exactly the sort of innovation and big thinking that California needs, repurposing old fossil fuel infrastructure to build one of the biggest solar and battery projects in the country,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
“With projects like this, we’ll achieve a 100% clean electric grid and drastically cut pollution to combat climate change – all while creating good-paying jobs.”
Craig Cornelius, CEO of Clearway Energy Group, said: “The project has brought a billion-dollar investment to an energy transition community and will provide clean, reliable, and low-cost power to California homes and businesses for years to come.
“We extend deep gratitude to our customers, partners, San Bernardino County, and the Daggett and Newberry Springs communities for the support that helped bring this important project to life.”
Construction of Daggett Solar+Storage was completed in partnership with IBEW Local 477, creating over 500 union jobs during project construction.
The batteries were supplied by Wärtsilä.
The full Daggett Solar+Storage complex is being completed in three stages.
The final 113.5MW battery storage portion, which is separately contracted with an investment-grade rated utility offtaker, is slated to reach commercial operations in 2025, bringing the battery’s full battery capacity to 394MW.
“We are proud to be a co-investor in the Daggett Solar+Storage facility, one of the most significant operating solar and storage projects in the country,” said Susan Nickey, Chief Client Officer of HASI, which joined Clearway Energy in a 1.6GW joint equity agreement in 2020.
Daggett Solar+Storage will generate up to $18.5m in local tax revenue and $5m in spending annually during operations.
Daggett Solar + Storage is contracted with six load serving entities, including Clean Power Alliance, Constellation, East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) soon to be rebranded as Ava Community Energy, MCE, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA).