Bechtel has completed construction of the Catalina Solar photovoltaic generating facility. The company designed the 143 MW solar plant located in California's Mojave Desert for EDF Renewable Energy.
Catalina Solar comprises 82 MW of Solar Frontier and 61 MW of First Solar PV modules, with a combined total of over 1.1 million panels. The plant was built on 900 acres and includes a 7.2-mile transmission line that connects the facility to the substation. The project's output is being provided to San Diego Gas and Electric Co. (SDG&E) under a 25-year power purchase agreement.Â
‘The successful completion of this project on behalf of EDF Renewable Energy will help make solar more cost-competitive with other sources of energy,’ says Toby Seay, president of Bechtel's communications, renewables and transmission business. ‘The build of facilities like Catalina will help spur innovation around solar technologies and strengthen our use of clean, renewable power.’
‘EDF Renewable Energy has been a great partner, working hard to get both the Catalina Solar and the Pacific Wind projects operational,’ says Matt Burkhart, SDG&E vice president of electric and fuel procurement. ‘Our commitment to helping get viable renewable resources developed has produced great results with projects like these that are contributing to meeting California's aggressive renewable goals.’
In addition to its work on the Catalina Solar project, Bechtel is building two other solar facilities in California: the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating Facility and the California Valley Solar Ranch.
