Avantus‘ Aratina 1 project in Kern County, California has started commercial operations and is now delivering 200 MW of solar and 500 MWh of energy storage to the grid.
The project has long-term power purchase agreements with Central Coast Community Energy and Silicon Valley Clean Energy, two community choice aggregators (CCAs), for the full output of the project, which is enough to power more than 105,000 California homes annually.
“The Aratina project is a powerful example of how community choice energy turns climate goals into real projects on the ground. Our long term commitment to 120 MW from this facility will deliver clean, affordable power to our customers while supporting California’s transition away from fossil fuels,” said Robert Shaw, CEO of Central Coast Community Energy. “We’re grateful to partner with Avantus on a project that strengthens grid reliability and invests in the Central Coast’s clean energy future.”
The project created approximately 500 jobs at peak construction and will create local operations roles throughout its operating life. Earlier this year, Avantus launched the Boron Community Partnership Panel, a community-led group of local organizations and residents. The panel provides an ongoing forum for dialogue with the local community and helps guide the project’s local investments, with a focus on community-building opportunities that support youth, education, civic and cultural initiatives.
“The clean power generated from the Aratina project gets us one step closer to our climate goals. New projects like this are critical in increasing state-wide clean capacity and reliability as we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and move towards an all-electric future,” said Monica Padilla, CEO of Silicon Valley Clean Energy.
Aratina 2, the second phase of the Aratina Solar Center, located adjacent to Aratina 1, is currently under construction. Aratina 2 recently closed more than $525 million in financing and is targeting commercial operations before the end of the year. Once complete, the Aratina Solar Center will represent a combined 350 MW of solar and 952 MWh of energy storage.
News item from Avantus
