LADWP Completes Second Utility-Built Solar Array

Pine Tree Solar Project Brings 8.5 MW Sun Power to L.A.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has begun generating 8.5 megawatts (MW) of sustainable sun power from a new utility-built large solar array co-located with LADWP’s Pine Tree Wind Farm in the Tehachapi Mountains.

LADWP crews flicked the switch to commission the Pine Tree Solar Project on March 15, 2013. The solar array is expected to produce an average of 18 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year over 25 years—enough to serve an average of 3,200 homes each year. That amount of solar power will avoid about 11,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions, equivalent to removing about 2,100 cars from the road each year.

“The Pine Tree Solar Power Project is a significant component of LADWP’s power supply transformation, as we move away from the use of coal power by 2025 and increase renewable energy to 33% of our power supply by 2020,” said Aram Benyamin, Senior Assistant General Manager-Power. In the next 15 years, LADWP will replace about 70% of its existing power generation with renewables, energy efficiency, and more efficient natural gas generators.

LADWP forces began work on the Pine Tree Solar Project almost immediately after celebrating the completion of the 10 MW Adelanto Solar Power Project in July 2012. The Adelanto project is co-located with the LADWP Adelanto Switching Station in Adelanto, Calif.

Benyamin said both projects are located near existing LADWP assets, such as land, transmission lines and power infrastructure. “By maximizing assets we already own, we were able to realize cost savings and complete these solar projects faster than if we had built new renewable projects elsewhere,” he said.

The Mojave Desert-Tehachapi Mountains area has become a renewable hub for LADWP. In the next few years, LADWP will build a new 50 MW utility-scale solar project on the 2,500-acre Beacon Solar Property. Additionally, an RFP for development of 200 MW of solar on that property is expected to be issued in May and bundled with a 50 MW local solar component of the 150 MW Feed-in Tariff (FiT) program.

LADWP crews were able to transfer cost- and time-saving installation procedures that were developed during the Adelanto solar construction. During the peak construction, over 150 LADWP personnel worked on building the Pine Tree Solar Project. 

Pine Tree Solar Power Project – Quick Facts

• Installation features 35,160 ground-mounted solar modules, 7,405 steel posts and 17 inverters converting DC to AC power
• Power capacity: 8.5 MW (AC power); 9.75 MW (DC power)

• First year output: 19.25 gigawatt-hours or 460 gigawatt-hours (GWh) over 25 years; enough to serve average of 3,000 homes each year.
• Built on 34 acres of land, co-located at the existing Pine Tree Wind Farm in the Tehachapi Mountains

• Construction began in April 2012.
• In-service March 2013.

Funding: $48 million, financed through the Federal Qualified Energy Conservation Bond program, under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. These QECBs were awarded to LADWP by the California State Treasurer’s Office. This special financing provides an estimated savings of $12 million to our customers over the life of the bonds.

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LADWP Takes Another Big Step to Create L.A.'s Clean Energy Future

Finalizes 150 MW Local Solar Program Plus 200 MW Utility Scale Solar

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) took another significant step toward creating L.A.’s clean energy future while boosting the local economy by finalizing the full 150 megawatt (MW) Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Program—the largest in any U.S. city.

On April 16, the Board of Water and Power Commissioners approved a program for the additional 50 MW of local solar (FiT50) to complement the first 100 MW FiT program approved in January. At the same time, the Board paved the way for a 200 MW utility scale solar array in the Mojave Desert.

The 150 MW of FiT solar, combined with a new 200 MW utility scale solar project, is an important part of LADWP’s transition away from coal power. LADWP recently announced it will stop receiving power from two coal-fired power plants by 2025, and replace it with increased renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as efficient natural gas-fired units.

Unlike the set-pricing FiT program approved for the first 100 MW of local rooftop solar, the FiT50 will be competitively priced through an RFP that is “bundled” with a utility scale solar project.  It also requires the local projects to be built within LADWP’s service territory in the Los Angeles basin.

Aram Benyamin, LADWP Senior Assistant General Manager-Power, said the combined RFP is a means of developing the most solar at the most competitive price. “One of the biggest benefits is that competitive bids and greater economies of scale will result in lower costs to customers and minimize rate impacts,” Benyamin said. “Our goal is to accomplish the power supply transformation while keeping the cost impacts on customers as low as possible.”

The combined RFP approach will also trigger the development of a higher volume of solar power within a few short years, increasing LADWP’s level of renewable energy at a faster pace to meet the goals of 25% renewables by 2016 and 33% renewables by 2020.

The RFP will seek proposals for building 200 MW of solar photovoltaic power on the Beacon Property owned by LADWP. Located in the Mojave Desert about 15 miles north of the town of Mojave, the land is ideally situated adjacent to LADWP’s Pine Tree Wind and recently completed 10 MW Solar Power Plants, the Barren Ridge Switching Station, existing transmission lines and other electric infrastructure.

For the RFP, the Beacon property is divided into four sites for solar projects averaging about 50 MW. Bidders may submit proposals for one or more of the four sites, each of which is linked to a required smaller local solar project between 10 and 14 MW in size. The RFP also sets a price cap for each solar project----$140 per megawatt-hour (MWh) for the local FiT solar, and $85 per MWh for the Beacon project.

Late last year, LADWP purchased the 250 MW Beacon Solar Project from Nextera Energy Resources, LLC. The purchase came with previously approved permits to develop the site as a solar facility, plus environmental studies, and preliminary engineering designs. LADWP crews will build a 50 MW solar array on the property and the remaining 200 MW will be offered to private developers through the RFP, expected to be issued in May.

In February, LADWP opened up the first 20 MW allocation of the 100 MW FiT Program. Proposals were received for about 45 MW worth of Los Angeles solar projects ranging in size from 30 kilowatts (kW) to 3 MW. LADWP is conducting interconnection studies for the first 20 MW of proposals submitted. Once the studies are completed, the bidders can decide whether or not to complete the contract, which will be a standard 20-year contract at a set price. Under the program guidelines, LADWP will pay 17 cents per kWh for the first 20 MW of local solar. Subsequent 20 MW allocations will be made available every six months through 2016 until the full 100 MW is subscribed. The set price will decline after each 20 MW is reserved.

LADWP has been steadily building a diverse renewable energy portfolio of wind, solar and geothermal power. Last fall, LADWP entered into two long-term agreements for 460 MW of solar power from two projects being developed in Nevada. LADWP recently entered a power purchase agreement for 14 MW of geothermal energy from the Wild Rose that will be developed by Ormat LLC in Nevada.

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*REVISED*

May 2013 Update
City Trunk Line South Unit 5 Construction Project

LADWP Trunk Line Construction crews have completed connecting approximately 2,700 feet of new 60-inch diameter welded steel pipe to replace a critical section of 99-year old, riveted steel pipe along Coldwater Canyon Avenue. LADWP crews began implementing daily street closure on Coldwater Canyon Avenue between Ventura Boulevard and Mulholland Drive on March 23, 2013 to perform the work. The closure ended on April 23.

The intersection of Ventura Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon Avenue will be restored to original condition, with no left-turn restrictions, on Saturday, May 11; Coldwater Canyon Avenue between Halkirk Avenue and Avenida Del Sol will be restored on Saturday, May 18.

LADWP crews will next establish a new work zone on Coldwater Canyon Avenue between Bloomfield Street and Valleyheart Drive (North.) *Please note the revised date for striping of this work zone to begin is scheduled for May 23, 2013, followed by the start of construction. Construction in this new zone is expected to be completed in December 2013.

During the work zone restoration and implementation dates of May 11, 18, and 21, heavy congestion is anticipated. Please use alternate routes and avoid the area between 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Overall, the project is 41% complete as of April 30, 2013 and is anticipated to be completed in September 2015.

For more information, please click here.

As common with any large construction project, work will be noisy and dusty at times. We will try to keep both to a minimum.

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