The U.S. Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has given final approval to a new solar energy project on public lands in California. The “Crimson Solar Project” represents an investment of roughly $550 million and is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power 87,500 homes.
The solar project will be located on approximately 2,000 acres of BLM-administered lands about 13 miles west of Blythe, in Riverside County, California. It will be a 350-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic facility with a 350-MW energy storage system and the necessary ancillary support facilities to generate and deliver power through the Southern California Edison Colorado River Substation.
It is being constructed, operated, and eventually decommissioned by Sonoran West Solar Holdings, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Recurrent Energy, LLC.
“The time for a clean energy future is now. We must make bold investments that will tackle climate change and create good-paying American jobs,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “Projects like this can help to make America a global leader in the clean energy economy through the acceleration of responsible renewable energy development on public lands.”
“America’s public lands provide a tremendous opportunity to realize the potential of renewable energy. BLM is committed to engaging in an inclusive and equitable process in pursuit of a clean energy economy,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Land and Minerals Laura Daniel-Davis.
The Crimson Solar Project will provide an estimated 650 temporary construction jobs, 10 permanent jobs, and 40 temporary jobs in operations and maintenance over the 30-year life of the project.
