Solar Blue, Stratford, California
250MW Solar
900MWh Energy Storage
34.5/230kV, 250MVA Substation
Companies involved:
Engineer: Blymyer Engineers
Partner: SOLV Energy
Developers: Westland Holdings Inc., CIM Group
Utility: Valley Clean Energy Alliance
Blymyer has collaborated with San Diego-based SOLV Energy on many solar installations. One of the most recent and notable is Solar Blue in Stratford, California.
This 250 MW solar generating facility, which began operation in December 2023, ranks #68 out of 784 California solar farms in terms of total annual net electricity. Situated on 1,895 acres in Kings County, California, it includes a 230-kV substation and energy storage on the premises.
Part of a much larger solar facility
Solar Blue is part of a series of power generating facilities that will comprise the 2.7GW Westland Solar Park master plan, which will be developed in phases over the next 12 years. Chestnut and Aquamarine, two solar plus storage projects that have already been completed on the master plan site, were also engineered by Blymyer.
When all of the facilities are completed, Westland will be one of the world’s largest solar power projects—a major investment in California’s clean energy future. It will span 20,000 acres of land in western Fresno and Kings counties in California and provide clean energy to more than 750,000 households, offsetting over 2.3 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually. Westland is expected to contribute significantly to the economic development of the communities in California’s Central Valley.
Plans are underway to eventually repurpose farmlands contaminated with selenium and impaired due to sewage water.
Showcasing Blymyer’s multidisciplinary expertise
“The complex nature of the assignment was one reason that SOLV Energy came to Blymyer. Our work on Solar Blue is an excellent example of the varied skills and knowledge that the Blymyer team brings to a solar plus storage plus substation project,” says Greg Mazur, Blymyer Director of Engineering. “You won’t find many firms like ours—with so many diverse renewable energy infrastructure services under one roof.”
“More and more projects that we’re taking on are multiple infrastructure installations. It’s a growing trend because energy companies are finding that having energy storage available on site at solar facilities helps relieve stress on the energy grid,” he adds. “This smart strategy will help California meet its long-term clean energy goals.”
To see more of Blymyer’s recent solar and substation projects, visit the project galleries on the website.
About SOLV Energy
SOLV Energy is a solar services provider for utility solar, high-voltage substation and energy storage markets across North America. The company is recognized as an industry-leading solar contractor and O&M services provider, having built and managed over 10 GW of solar capacity in more than 25 states. More information about the company can be found on solvenergy.com.