Fluor to build and operate California solar energy facility

IRVING, Texas — Fluor Corp. says that Centinela Solar Energy, LLC, a member of LS Power Group, has awarded it 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.

Fluor has been 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. Phase 2 is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2013.

“This significant new win for Fluor further solidifies our position as a leader in the solar power engineering and construction industry,” says Dave Dunning, president of Fluor’s Power Group. “We look forward to expanding our solar resume and delivering our second solar PV project for LS Power. Fluor’s decades of project management expertise and our financial strength demonstrates our ability to bring a turnkey solution to our clients for their utility-scale solar developments.”

The Centinela project is located on approximately 1,600 acres in Imperial County, Calif., approximately 90 miles east of San Diego, and has all major permits secured for the project. This project will help meet the regional need for renewable energy and will be one of the first major projects to tie into the newly constructed Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Line. Centinela Solar Energy has closed financing for the project and has 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.