The Centinela Solar Energy Project is a 170
megawatt
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of Power (physics), power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantification (science), quantify the rate of Work ...
(MW)
photovoltaic power plant
A photovoltaic power station, also known as a solar park, solar farm, or solar power plant, is a large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic power system (PV system) designed for the supply of merchant power. They are different from most building ...
located on of previously disturbed private land southwest of
El Centro, California
El Centro ( Spanish for "The Center") is a city and county seat of Imperial County, California, United States. El Centro is the most populous city in the Imperial Valley, the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core ...
. The project planned to provide at least 235 jobs, generate more than $30 million in tax revenue over its life-time, and deliver enough electricity to power about 82,500 homes. Imperial County gave a green-light to the solar power plant on December 27, 2011, and Secretary of the Interior
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee Salazar (born March 2, 1955) is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as United States ambassador to Mexico from 2021 to 2025. He previously served as the 50th United States Secretary of the Interior in the administ ...
approved the right-of-way over 19 acres for the connecting power line on public land.
The plant went online in tests on July 26, 2013.
It received a safety award in 2015.
Electricity production
References
{{Solar power in the United States
Solar power stations in California