NRG Energy, Inc., the country’s largest independent power producer, and its subsidiary NRG Yield, Inc. (NYSE:NYLD, NYLD.A), today announced that a new 20 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) facility is now online in Southern California. The NRG Solar Oasis facility will generate clean, reliable solar power, sold under a 20-year power purchase agreement with Southern California Edison. The project was jointly funded by both NRG and NRG Yield through the previously announced partnership between both companies.
“We are proud to continue to bring renewable energy options to the residents of Southern California, and this project is a great example of our focus on customers and our desire to provide them with the energy solutions they need and want,” said Craig Cornelius, senior vice president, NRG Energy. “We are happy to see that the United States Air Force values clean energy and has partnered with us on this project that helps California meet its renewable energy goals.”
The project was built on approximately 180 acres of land located in the western Mojave Desert, five miles northeast of Palmdale, Calif., the majority of which is leased from the United States Air Force.
Approximately 98,000 PV solar panels onsite are expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 3,280 homes. At this rate, the project will avoid 41,000 tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to taking 8,600 cars off the road.
Construction began in summer 2015, and the project created approximately 250 jobs during construction.
