Clearway Announces Commercial Operations at the Daggett Clean Energy Complex

Clearway’s Daggett clean energy complex is among the largest operating solar and storage projects in the US, generating enough clean energy to power 181,000 homes each year

SAN FRANCISCO — Clearway Energy Group (“Clearway”) joined customers, partners, and community members, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in San Bernardino County to celebrate reaching commercial operations at Daggett Solar + Storage. Located adjacent to the decommissioned Coolwater gas-fired power plant, the Daggett Solar+ Storage project encompasses 482 MW solar and 280 MW energy storage and is one of the largest operating solar and storage hybrid facilities in the country.

“This is exactly the sort of innovation and big thinking that California needs, repurposing old fossil fuel infrastructure to build one of the biggest solar and battery projects in the country,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “With projects like this, we’ll achieve a 100% clean electric grid and drastically cut pollution to combat climate change – all while creating good-paying jobs.”

“This project is clean energy poetry. The Daggett facility provides a leading climate solution while bringing jobs and new investments to a local economy that has long relied on traditional energy production. By transitioning a fossil fuel site to provide clean, affordable power, Clearway has demonstrated that all communities can benefit from the clean energy transition,” said American Clean Power Association’s (ACP) CEO Jason Grumet. “Clearway’s success combining solar and storage technologies will help California achieve its ambitious decarbonization goals and set an example for the rest of the nation. It’s a win for the state of California and for the future of clean energy in the United States.”

“The Daggett Solar + Storage project embodies the path we’re on to California’s clean and reliable energy future,” said Craig Cornelius, CEO of Clearway Energy Group. “The project has brought a billion-dollar investment to an energy transition community and will provide clean, reliable, and low-cost power to California homes and businesses for years to come. We extend deep gratitude to our customers, partners, San Bernardino County, and the Daggett and Newberry Springs communities for the support that helped bring this important project to life.”

Daggett Solar + Storage will generate enough electricity to power more than 181,000 homes and will be able to store and deploy clean power during periods of peak demand to support grid reliability.

Construction of Daggett Solar + Storage was completed in partnership with I.B.E.W. Local 477, creating over 500 union jobs during project construction.

The batteries were supplied by global energy storage integrator, Wärtsilä. “Wärtsilä is proud to partner with Clearway on the Daggett Solar + Storage project, which delivers reliable, sustainable, low-cost energy to California residents,” said Andrew Tang, Vice President of Energy Storage & Optimisation at Wärtsilä. “We look forward to deploying safe energy storage systems at more of Clearway’s solar facilities across the country in a shared effort to accelerate the transition to 100% renewable energy.”

The full Daggett Solar + Storage complex is being completed in three stages. The final 113.5 MW battery storage portion, which is separately contracted with an investment-grade rated utility offtaker, is slated to reach commercial operations in 2025, bringing the project’s full battery capacity to 394 MW.

“We are proud to be a co-investor in the Daggett Solar + Storage facility, one of the most significant operating solar and storage projects in the country,” said Susan Nickey, Chief Client Officer of HASI, which joined Clearway Energy, Inc. in a 1.6 GW joint equity agreement in 2020.  “This project showcases the transformative promise of solar and storage technologies to meet California’s robust energy needs and ambitious decarbonization goals while simultaneously driving substantial local investment and job creation.”

Daggett Solar + Storage will generate up to $18.5 million in local tax revenue and $5 million in spending annually during operations. The project will sustain over a dozen onsite full-time jobs and will continue to support local institutions such as the Silver Valley High School and Alternative Education Center, the Silver Valley Fire Alliance, and the local Chambers of Commerce.

Daggett Solar + Storage is contracted with six load-serving entities, including Clean Power Alliance, Constellation, East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) soon to be rebranded as Ava Community Energy, MCE, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA).

“The Daggett facility is a vital asset for CPA, providing enough energy to power approximately 85,000 homes in Southern California,” said Ted Bardacke, CEO of Clean Power Alliance. “There were numerous challenges in getting this project across the finish line including the pandemic, supply chain delays, solar panel tariffs, and extraordinary global crises such as the war in Ukraine. I’m glad we were able to work together to bring us to where we are today.”

“This is another key step towards California’s climate and clean energy goals, and we are proud to help provide sustainable solutions along that journey to success,” said Jim McHugh, Constellation Chief Commercial Officer. “We applaud Clearway’s efforts to bring Daggett Solar + Storage to fruition and help bring renewable energy to California that has the ability to deliver at the times when customers need electricity.”

“We’re thrilled to take part in this partnership with Clearway and other California clean energy trailblazers to continue the state’s track record of leadership in solar and energy storage,” said Nick Chaset, CEO at EBCE (soon to be rebranded as Ava Community Energy). “Our agency consistently strives to boost the resilience of our communities in Alameda County and across the valley, and the Daggett Solar + Storage project is a notable next step in our roadmap for continuing on our mission.”

“As California’s first community choice provider, MCE is proud to be a part of the groundbreaking Daggett Solar + Storage project. This project represents an essential part of the transition to clean energy by increasing our ability to store clean energy and make it available when we need it most,” said Dawn Weisz, MCE CEO.

“We at PG&E are driven by our triple bottom line framework of serving people, the planet, and California’s prosperity,” said Gillian Clegg, PG&E Vice President, Energy Policy and Procurement. “Our strategy to meet that triple bottom line is to work with innovative partners on next-level renewable projects that reduce emissions from the energy we deliver. Clearway’s Daggett Solar + Storage serves that strategy and will help us move toward a more climate-resilient energy system that offers the right energy resources at the right times to achieve a clean and reliable energy future.”

“The Daggett 2 Project will provide SCPPA with its first bundled renewable energy and energy storage project to reach Commercial Operation by supplying 65MWac of solar capacity and a 33MWac/132MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to our growing renewable and energy storage resource mix,” commented Michael Webster, Executive Director of SCPPA. “The project will help our Participating Members, the City of Cerritos and the City of Vernon Public Utilities, progress closer to meeting and exceeding their Clean Energy and Resource Adequacy goals.”