The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management approved the Arica and Victory Pass solar projects near the Desert Center in eastern Riverside County.
The final approval for construction was announced in a June 13 DOI news release. The project includes the 265-megawatt Arica Solar Project and the 200-megawatt Victory Pass Solar Project which "will result in a combined infrastructure investment of about $689 million, generate $5.9 million in annual operational economic benefit, provide power to approximately 132,000 homes and add up to 465 megawatts of clean energy generating capacity and 400 megawatts of battery storage."
"The efficient deployment of renewable energy projects is crucial to lower costs for families, support good paying jobs and achieve the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035," Laura Daniel-Davis, principal deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management, said in the news release. "Combined with the historic investments from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we will continue to work in partnership with states, cities and Tribes to boost climate resiliency, advance clean energy projects and replace aging infrastructure."
The project was originally approved in December 2021, according to a BLM release.
The approval authorized Clearway Energy Group to construct, operate, maintain and decommission two photovoltaic solar facilities using a reduced footprint to avoid any sensitive resources, according to BLM.
The construction projects are expected to support up to 1,000 jobs, as reported in the DOI news release.
DOI reported these projects mark "a significant milestone in the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to modernize America’s power infrastructure in the west and permit at least 25 gigawatts of solar, wind and geothermal production on public lands by 2025."
"Renewable energy development on BLM-managed public lands will continue to help communities across the country be part of the climate solution, while creating jobs and boosting local economies," BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning said in the DOI news release. "The BLM is committed to making significant contributions to the nation’s renewable energy portfolio and has approved more than 120 renewable energy projects on public land generating more than 12,000 megawatts."
