California’s 200MW solar plant expected by 2013


22 Nov 2010

The largest photovoltaic solar facility in the US has been given a 2013 completion date and the power plant is expected to generate around 200 megawatts (MW) of energy.

The Rosamon Solar plant, which will be built in the Antelope Valley (around 90 miles/145 kilometres from Los Angeles), will be located close to a major transmission corridor.

The power plant is expected to generate enough electricity to power about 76,000 average homes for a year.

Clean-energy goals

The contract belongs to Sempra Generation – a company that previously worked on other solar projects in Nevada and has recently announced plans for an operation in Arizona – and will be the company’s fourth utility scale solar project.

“Rosamond Solar will deliver a new supply of solar power to California that moves the state one step closer to reaching its clean-energy goals, while, at the same time, creating more jobs for area residents,” said Jeffrey Martin, president and chief executive officer of Sempra Generation. 

“California remains a strategic focus for Sempra Generation as we continue to grow our portfolio of solar and wind-power projects in the Western US.”

The site where the plant will be built is “previously disturbed farmland” and will require less water to run the solar plant as the site was previously used for agricultural purposes, according to Sempra.

A 1,000MW solar project (Blythe Solar Power Project), was recently approved for construction on federal land in Southern California – said to be the largest solar venture planned in the US.