-March 20,2021-
Kings County’s mega-solar project, Westlands Solar Park, continues to add more phases as it heads to 2000 megawatts spread over 21,000 acres.
Next in line is Westlands Solar Grape -another 250MW solar farm planned not far from the Avenal Cutoff.The 1759 acre project follows Westlands Solar Blue, Westlands Almond, Westlands Pomegranate all with a capacity of 250MW as well as 150MW Westside Chestnut.Grape will have a battery storage facility along with acres of arraysThe Kings County Planning Commission will hold a special public hearing by teleconference to consider the environmental documents for the proposed project. The special public hearing will be tentatively held on Monday, May 3, 2021 at 12:45 P.M.
Like all of these western Kings County energy projects they are not displacing good ag land but span previously selenium contaminated and drainage-impaired land in Fresno and Kings Counties.An LA-based real estate firm, CIM, is promoting the projects.
Looking at recent permit development, the scale is impressive. Kings County has 31 solar PV generating projects approved or pending with a total potential generating capacity of 2,658 MW. An additional four solar PV projects, with a potential generating capacity of 830 MW, have pending CUP applications with Kings County, including the subject 250 MW Grape Solar Project, the 250 MW Cherry Solar Project located across Nevada Avenue to the south, and the 130 MW Alamo Springs Solar Project and 200 MW Pelican’s Jaw Solar Project, both located in southern Kings County.
