The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has brought the 105 MW Pastoria Solar Project online to support decarbonization of the State Water Project (SWP). The project will supply renewable energy to one of the largest water delivery systems in the United States.
The project scope includes construction and operation of a 105 MW solar facility located near the Edmonston Pumping Plant in Kern County. The project also integrates an 80 MW/320 MWh battery energy storage system and connects to an existing 750 MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle plant to support grid reliability.
The project represents the largest renewable energy procurement by DWR to date. The department has secured power through a long-term power purchase agreement, while Pacific Gas and Electric Company has signed a 15-year agreement for the battery storage component.
Calpine, a business unit of Constellation, developed and delivered the solar project. The California Department of Water Resources will use the generated power to offset electricity consumption from the State Water Project.
The project reached completion and began operations in April 2026. The battery energy storage system is expected to come online in phases during 2026. The project will support DWR’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035. It will supply renewable energy to critical water infrastructure that serves approximately 27 million residents and 750,000 acres of agricultural land.