The California State Supreme Court has dismissed two lawsuits brought against the state's Energy Resources Conservation & Development Commission, Tessera Solar North America Inc. and Calico Solar LLC. The lawsuits, introduced by the Sierra Club and California Unions for Renewable Energy (CURE), challenged the approval of the Calico solar plant, which is slated to be located near Barstow, Calif., and have a capacity of 850 MW.
‘We are pleased that the State Supreme Court upheld the Energy Commission's power plant review process for the Calico Solar project,’ said Dr. Robert Weisenmiller, chair of the California Energy Commission, in a statement. ‘Our commitment to renewable energy sources maintains California's leadership in this vital, growing sector of the world's economy.’
The victory follows a series of challenges and changes for the Calico project. Southern California Edison canceled its power purchase agreement last December, original developer Tessera Solar sold the project later in the month, and new developer K Road Power subsequently announced plans to convert the first 750 MW of the project – initially envisioned as a concentrating solar power plant – to photovoltaic technology.
For more information on the Sierra Club case, click here. For more information on the CURE case, click here.
SOURCE: California Energy CommissionÂ
