Massive solar farm in Fresno County turned on

TRANQUILITY

September 26, 2016 11:07am

•  Tranquillity solar to general 200 Megawatts of electricity

•  “A testament to our commitment to the communities and ecosystems where we operate”

A solar power “farm” near Tranquility west of Fresno has started operations, according to owners, Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power, and Recurrent Energy.

"The Tranquillity Solar Facility will help meet the energy needs of customers now and in the future," says Southern Power President and CEO Buzz Miller.

Southern Power is the majority owner of the Tranquillity Solar Facility. Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc., owns the remaining interest. Construction of the facility began in July 2015 on 1,900 acres of land in Fresno County, California. The 200-megawatt solar power plant is capable of generating enough energy to help power the needs of approximately 50,000 homes.

"The Tranquillity solar facility is the product of long-term collaboration with financial partners, local communities and other stakeholders," says Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar. "This milestone is a testament to our commitment to the communities and ecosystems where we operate, which is a critical ingredient of our project development success."

The Tranquillity Solar Facility’s electricity and associated renewable energy credits are being sold under a 15-year power purchase agreement with Southern California Edison.

Southern Power has announced, acquired or is constructing more than 2,400 MW of renewable ownership with 31 solar, wind and biomass projects, including 11 solar projects in California. In all, the Southern Company system has added or announced more than 4,000 MW of renewable energy projects since 2012.

http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=31305