JUNO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra
Energy Resources, LLC, today highlighted a suite of clean energy
storage developments in the state that could nearly double the
total installed capacity of battery storage available in the U.S.
today. It plans to build nearly 700 MWs of fully-contracted battery
storage projects in California
before the end of 2022. The battery storage projects will be
co-located at six existing NextEra Energy Resources solar projects
and include the previously announced:
- 63 MW at Blythe 110 Solar
Energy Center
- 115 MW at Blythe II Solar Energy Center
- 115 MW at Blythe III Solar Energy Center
- 230 MW at the McCoy Solar Energy Center
- 110 MW at the Arlington Solar Energy Center
- 65 MW at the Yellow Pine Solar Energy Center
"California needs significant
investment in battery storage to meet its aggressive clean energy
goals," said NextEra Energy Resources President and CEO
John Ketchum. "NextEra Energy
Resources is answering the call with nearly 700 MW of battery
storage projects representing a capital investment of nearly
$800 million. We are pleased that
last week the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) approved
all 523 MW of the projects that required CPUC approval. Once these
projects are operational by the end of 2022, Californians will
benefit from more low-cost, emission-free solar energy during more
hours of the day, as well as improved reliability across the
regional electric grid."
In addition to the fully-contracted projects that are expected
to come online by the end of 2022, NextEra Energy Resources has a
current pipeline of nearly 2,000 MW of shovel-ready or near
shovel-ready battery energy storage projects in California that could be deployed to help meet
the energy storage capacity requirements put forth by the CPUC. To
put that into perspective, the company's planned and pipeline of
battery storage projects in California alone is nearly twice the total
installed capacity of battery storage in the U.S. today
(approximately 1,350 MWs). The build out of the 2,000 MW energy
storage pipeline is contingent on obtaining long-term power
purchase agreements for the projects as well as the necessary
regulatory approvals.
In addition to battery storage, NextEra Energy Resources stands
ready to construct Eagle Mountain,
a 1,300 MW pumped storage project located near Desert Center, Calif. Eagle Mountain is a fully permitted,
shovel-ready project that could provide up to 18 hours of energy
storage and represents a bulk energy storage solution that not only
diversifies California storage
supply, but provides additional grid flexibility in the event of
multi-day events such as summer heat waves and winter storms when
cloud cover reduces solar generation. While Eagle Mountain is fully permitted, the
potential project needs the appropriate regulatory construct in
order to move forward.
"For more than 30 years, we've been investing in clean energy in
California, starting with some of
the state's earliest wind and solar projects," said Ketchum. "We
are proud to do our share to help California lead the country to a carbon free,
sustainable future."
Since 1989, NextEra Energy Resources has developed, built, owned
and operated wind, solar and energy storage facilities in
California, representing more than
$7 billion in investments. These
projects support more than $45
million in annual payroll for California employees and nearly $18 million in annual property taxes to support
schools, roads and essential services in the state.
NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (together with its affiliated
entities, "NextEra Energy Resources"), is a clean energy leader and
is one of the largest wholesale generators of electric power in the
U.S., with approximately 21,900 megawatts of net generating
capacity, primarily in 37 states and Canada as of year-end 2019. NextEra Energy
Resources, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's
largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a
world leader in battery storage. The business operates clean,
emissions-free nuclear power generation facilities in New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin as part of the NextEra Energy
nuclear fleet, which is one of the largest in the United States. NextEra Energy Resources,
LLC is a subsidiary of Juno Beach,
Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more
information, visit www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
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SOURCE NextEra Energy Resources