PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — A new project on federal public lands is now delivering enough clean energy to power over 207,000 southern California homes a year. During remarks at the Western Governors Association Winter Meeting Nov. 6, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced the Oberon Solar Project, a 500-megawatt photovoltaic facility near Desert Center in eastern Riverside County, is fully operational. The project includes up to 250 megawatts of battery storage.
“The completion of the Oberon Solar Project underscores the Bureau of Land Management’s commitment to responsible energy development in pursuit of a carbon free power sector,” said BLM California State Director Karen Mouritsen. “This project is another example of the Bureau’s steadfast commitment to the furtherance of renewable energy and prioritizing a healthier planet.”
The project is sited on roughly 2,600 acres of BLM-managed public lands in an area scientifically analyzed and identified as suitable for clean energy development as part of the BLM’s Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. The plan focuses on 10.8 million acres of public lands in the desert regions of seven California counties to streamline renewable energy development, while conserving unique and valuable desert ecosystems and providing outdoor recreation opportunities.
In 2022, the BLM authorized Oberon Solar LLC to construct the solar photovoltaic facility and an approximately 0.5-mile single circuit 500-kilovolt generation interconnection transmission line to deliver power through the Southern California Edison Red Bluff Substation. The system will generate 500 megawatts of electricity daily to include 250 megawatts of battery storage available for delivery as needed by the California Independent System Operator.
Additional information, including National Environmental Policy Act documents, are available at the BLM National NEPA Register.
