September 14,2017-
Westlands Solar Park(WSP) owners are working with Westlands Water District on a revised EIR for their mega-solar project. Filed August 31, the new plan would modestly reduce the size of the project from 24,000 acres to 21,000 acres. Power production would be reduced from 2400MW to 2000. Most of the huge solar farm would be located in Kings County, roughly around the Avenal Cutoff and Laurel Ave.
Proponents says the project will be incremental, over 12 years, averaging about 167MW each year. The revision of the EIR supersedes a 2013 plan.
Also new are plans to deliver some of the power to the federal Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) who confirm WSP submitted an interconnection request recently. A new power line would parallel I-5 up the Valley to the Dos Amigos Pumping Station south of San Luis Reservoir. The plan says two other transmission corridors (privately funded) would help distribute electricity into the Gates Substation.
The big project benefits Westlands WD by helping them continue to retire salt-impacted and impaired land in the district.