Tenaska's Third Project in Imperial Valley Expands Job and Economic Opportunities
Tenaska Solar Ventures, LLC (TSV), has announced that it has acquired the Silverleaf photovoltaic solar project, a proposed 160-megawatt (MW) solar energy project under development near El Centro, from Agile Solar Holdings, an affiliate of Agile Energy, LLC (Agile Energy), and Bregal Energy, an affiliate of Agile Solar Holdings. The transaction closed on Aug. 1.
TSV is an affiliate of Tenaska, based in Omaha, Neb., and one of the nation’s largest independent energy producers. Agile Energy, of San Bruno, Calif., is a developer of utility-scale power generating projects and will provide development services to TSV through the completion of project permitting. TSV will assume responsibility for all other development aspects of the project, including securing a power purchase agreement.
The project, to be named Tenaska Silverleaf Solar Energy Center, would be located on approximately 1,100 acres of agricultural land west of El Centro and east of Tenaska Imperial Solar Energy Center West, a 150-MW solar generating facility being developed by an affiliate of TSV.
“We plan to deliver the economic results that community leaders have envisioned since the solar industry was first introduced to this area,” said Bob Ramaekers, Tenaska vice president, Development. “We’re proud that the Tenaska Silverleaf Solar Energy Center will be our third project in the county, adding to the hundreds of construction jobs, millions in sales tax revenue and substantial economic activity of our other projects.”
Construction on the Silverleaf project is slated to begin as early as 2014, with commercial operation targeted for as early as 2015. The project is expected to provide approximately 250 direct jobs during peak construction and two to six full-time positions after the plant begins operations.
“Tenaska Solar Ventures is pleased to work with a skilled and experienced renewable energy developer such as Agile Energy,” Ramaekers said. “Together, we are a strong, innovative team that will help make Imperial County the solar energy capital of the nation.”
“Agile Energy’s vision of developing a major solar generating station in the Imperial Valley will now be realized with the backing of Tenaska,” said Robert Morgan, president and chief operating officer of Agile Energy. “We’re excited to be working with one of the premier companies in our industry to bring Silverleaf into operation.”
TSV is a nationally recognized developer of solar energy centers, having successfully developed two in Imperial County to date. Tenaska recently obtained commercial financing for and began construction of Tenaska Imperial Solar Energy Center South, a 130-MW photovoltaic solar electric generating plant near El Centro. The plant is the largest solar project under construction to date in Imperial County. The project is expected to create 250 to 300 jobs at peak construction. It is also expected to add millions of dollars in sales and property tax revenue throughout construction and the 25-year life of the project. Commercial operation is expected in the second half of 2013.
Construction employment for the South project is expected to ramp up this fall. Every effort is being made to hire qualified local workers. A job fair for construction of the project was held June 29 in Holtville, Calif., with a record of 1,153 local job seekers attending. A total of 215 workers have already been hired at the South site, of which 60 percent are from towns in Imperial County.
The Tenaska Imperial Solar Energy Center West project is slated to begin construction in early 2013, with commercial operation in 2015. If Tenaska’s three projects are successfully advanced to construction, they would create 250 to 300 jobs each at their various peaks of construction and would help support sustained construction and associated economic activity over a number of years. They would also create 10 to 15 well-paying, permanent operations jobs total for the 25- to 35-year lives of the projects.