California Locks In 200 MW Solar Project for 84K Homes

California's largest community choice energy provider just locked in clean power for decades to come, and the deal protects customers from rising energy costs while creating hundreds of jobs.

Clean Power Alliance approved a 20-year agreement with renewable developer Avantus for the Rexford 2 project in Tulare County. The facility will combine 200 megawatts of solar panels with massive batteries that store enough energy to power the equivalent of 84,000 homes each year.

The timing couldn't be better. California's energy demand keeps growing, but this project offers something rare: a fixed price with no increases for two decades. That means families won't face surprise spikes on their electricity bills, even when energy markets get volatile.

The battery storage system solves one of solar power's biggest challenges. It captures sunshine during the day and releases that energy during evening hours when families come home, turn on lights, and cook dinner. The 800 megawatt-hour battery can deliver full power for four straight hours during peak demand.

Construction starts soon with 500 direct jobs under a project labor agreement, plus 10 permanent positions once the facility opens in May 2029. Workforce programs will prioritize hiring local residents in Tulare County, an area designated as disadvantaged and in need of economic development.

The Ripple Effect

This project builds on an existing success story. The neighboring Rexford 1 facility already started delivering clean energy in February 2025, proving the model works. Now Rexford 2 multiplies that impact across the region.

The environmental benefits add up fast. The solar arrays will prevent 210 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year. That's equivalent to planting 1.6 million trees and letting them grow for a decade, or permanently removing 22,000 gas-powered cars from California roads.

Local communities benefit beyond the jobs. The project brings capital investment, payments to landowners, and new tax revenue to support schools and services. Developers chose previously disturbed land to minimize environmental harm.

Avantus has already built more than two dozen renewable projects totaling 5,000 megawatts of solar generation across the western United States. Their track record gave Clean Power Alliance confidence the project will deliver as promised, with key permits and grid connections already secured.

California keeps proving that clean energy, stable prices, good jobs, and environmental progress can all happen together.