California Powers Water for 27M with Massive Solar Farm

California just flipped the switch on a solar farm that's changing how 27 million people get their water.

The Pastoria Solar Project in Kern County now helps power the Edmonston Pumping Plant, a workhorse facility that's been lifting water nearly 2,000 feet over the Tehachapi Mountains for more than 50 years. The plant connects Northern California's water supply to the southern part of the state, serving roughly 1 in 12 Americans.

The challenge? Those pumps are massive energy hogs, consuming up to 800 megawatts of electricity and ranking among the state's largest single power users.

The new solar installation spans 500 acres with 226,000 panels generating 105 megawatts of clean energy. It's the largest renewable energy project ever contracted by the California Department of Water Resources, signed at just $1 per megawatt hour for 20 years.

"Most Californians get water from the State Water Project," said Karla Nemeth, director of the water resources department. "To make that system carbon neutral by 2035, we need efforts like the Pastoria Solar Project."

The timing couldn't be better. California faces growing energy demand from data centers and extreme weather while federal climate support shrinks under the Trump administration's rollback of solar tax credits.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just about one plant. The project shows how California can meet rising electricity needs while staying on track with clean energy goals.

The solar farm sits next to an 80-megawatt battery storage system and an existing natural gas plant, creating what officials call a "trifecta" of reliability. The batteries bridge gaps when the sun sets, while the gas plant fills remaining needs.

About half of California's water delivery system already runs on its own hydropower. Projects like Pastoria will cover the other half, including another 100-megawatt solar farm coming online next year.

"We have a front-row seat in seeing the effects of our changing climate," said John Yarbrough, deputy director of the State Water Project. "It really gives us a vested interest in doing what we can to protect the state."

The project made it just in time, too. Federal construction deadlines mean similar projects must break ground by July or start running by next year's end to qualify for support.

For millions of Californians turning on their taps each day, the water now arrives with a little more sunshine behind it.