Centinela Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant

Client: Centinela Solar Energy, LLC

Location: Imperial County, CA, U.S.

Business Segment: Energy Solutions

Industries: Energy TransitionPower

Services: Engineering and DesignProcurementConstructionMaintenance

Map showing the location of Centinela Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant

Executive Summary

LS Power is a power generation and transmission group with a proven track record of successful development activities, operations management, and commercial execution. LS Power has been involved in the development, construction, or operations of over 25,000 MW of power generation throughout the United States.

In September 2012, Centinela Solar Energy, LLC, a member of LS Power Group, awarded Fluor a lump-sum engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, as well as a separate contract for ongoing operations and maintenance services for its new, nominal 170-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) facility located in Southern California.

Through effective coordination and diligent execution, LS Power and Fluor completed the EPC and commissioning for both phases of the Centinela Solar Energy Facility in August 2014.

Throughout the 1,600-acre project site, our construction team successfully installed a total of more than 875,000 solar photovoltaic panels, 15,000 tons of steel, 40 miles of cable tray and 425 miles of AC and DC cabling.

We completed the project safely by working more than 700,000 construction hours with no lost-time accidents and no recordable incidents. After the project was completed, we began a five-year contract to operate and maintain the facility.

Client's Challenge

The Centinela Solar Energy project was LS Power's largest solar project to date. The Centinela project located on approximately 1,600 acres in Imperial County, California, is approximately 90 miles east of San Diego.

This newly constructed project would help meet the regional need for renewable energy and it was one of the first major projects to tie into the newly constructed Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Line. Centinela Solar Energy had 20-year power purchase agreements with San Diego Gas & Electric for the entire power output from the facility, enough electricity to power more than 60,000 homes.

This solar project would continue to bring many benefits to the State of California and Imperial County including construction and operations jobs with local business opportunities and revenues.

Fluor's Solution

Innovation was critical to the success of the Centinela Solar Energy Facility project. During the course of the project, the Fluor team built strong relationships with the subcontractors, local unions and area police and government officials who worked as a team to ensure everything from permitting processes to site security went smoothly. The project team overcame siting challenges and implemented novel design techniques.

Fluor was awarded both the 125-megawatt Phase 1 and the 45-megawatt Phase 2 of the Centinela project and received full notice-to-proceed for Phase 1 in the third quarter of 2012. Phase 2 was released in the first quarter of 2013.

Engineering and procurement was supported from our Southern California operations center. The facility achieved full commercial operation in summer of 2014.

The construction of the Centinela project provided hundreds of jobs to workers in the Imperial Valley region of southern California.

Conclusion

Located in the city of Calexico, California, the 170-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) project is providing clean, renewable energy for customers in the southwest U.S. The project supported the regional need for renewable energy and was one of the first major projects to tie into the newly constructed Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Line.

Centinela Solar Energy had 20-year power purchase agreements with San Diego Gas & Electric for the entire power output from the facility, enough electricity to power more than 60,000 homes.

The Centinela Solar Energy Project was named the 2015 Best Project Safety Award of Merit winner by Engineering News-Record (ENR) for the California region. Fluor was recognized December 1 at ENR's Best Projects Awards breakfast in Los Angeles.