enXco, an EDF Energies Nouvelles Company (PARIS: EEN) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) have entered into a Power Purchase Agreement for a 130 MWp (110 MW (ac) solar photovoltaic (PV) facility to be built in Kern County, California.
enXco will develop, build, and own the Catalina Solar Project while SDG&E will buy the power generated under a 25-year power purchase agreement.
The project, subject to California Public Utilities Commission approval, will be built on 1,100 acres of land in two phases with the first 60 MWp to be online by the end of 2012 and the remaining 70 MWp to be operational by mid-2013.
"Catalina Solar represents enXco's largest utility-scale solar project to be developed in the U.S.," said Tristan Grimbert, president & CEO of enXco. "The project builds upon both the company's extensive experience in Kern County as well our long-term relationship with SDG&E. We look forward to once again delivering a successful project to SDG&E."
"The proximity to other enXco/SDG&E projects and the load base, along with near-term constructability makes Catalina Solar a perfect solution to help the utility meet its renewable energy goals," commented Mark Tholke, vice president, southwest region for enXco. "Catalina Solar will bring the total under long-term agreements with SDG&E to 310 megawatts joining Oasis Wind (60 MW producing since 2004) and Pacific Wind (140 MW in development) both in Kern County."
"Catalina Solar, will produce enough clean energy to power about 35,000 homes and will offset about 74,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, helping to improve overall air quality in California in line with the California's environmental mandates," said Matt Burkhart, SDG&E's vice president of procurement. "We are pleased to be doing business again with enXco, with whom we already have two power purchase agreements for wind energy."