EDF Renewables North America is to supply Clean Power Alliance (CPA) with electricity from the 300MW Desert Quartzite solar-plus-storage project in California under a 15-year power purchase agreement.
The facility, which will include a 600 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system, is expected to begin delivery of electricity to CPA’s customers throughout Los Angeles and Ventura Counties in February 2024.
The CPA board of directors approved the long-term contract during its September meeting.
Desert Quartzite is located on unincorporated land in Riverside County, California, administered by the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
BLM designated the area as a Solar Energy Zone (SEZ) and Development Focus Area, land set aside for utility-scale renewable energy development.
The project will utilise horizontal single-axis tracking solar technology and is expected to create more than 800 construction jobs.
CPA executive director Ted Bardacke said: “The clean reliable energy we will receive from the Desert Quartzite facility fits perfectly within our mission to improve the lives and environment of our customers and communities,.
“Our board has identified solar-plus-storage as being key to our continued growth and a means to further improve reliability for our millions of customers.
“This project will also create many more green jobs here in Southern California.”
EDF Renewables senior director of origination and power marketing Sohinaz Sotoudeh said: “EDF Renewables is pleased to partner with Clean Power Alliance to supply affordable in-state solar energy to their growing customer base through the Desert Quartzite solar-plus-storage project.
“It is particularly satisfying to work with CPA, whose mission to empower communities with a choice for renewable power aligns with EDF Renewables’ ambition to help build a sustainable energy future.
“We are committed to helping CPA and other CCAs achieve their clean energy future through projects that also improve grid resiliency.”