At a ceremony held June 5th, Lassen Municipal Utility District and NextEra Energy celebrated the completion of NextEra’s Honey Lake Solar Project near Wendel. The project, which will provide enough green power to serve approximately 1,600 homes in Lassen County in its first year, came online June 4th and began feeding 7.5 megawatts into LMUD’s system.
Located on approximately 60 acres adjacent to an existing biomass plant, the solar photovoltaic system features nearly 29,000 single-axis tracker modules, which follow the sun from east to west for maximum production.”
“The solar array is owned by NextEra, with 100% of the output purchased by LMUD,” explains LMUD Public Relations Manager Theresa Phillips.
The energy produced by HL Solar will support LMUD’s efforts to meet California’s renewable energy goals which require that 60 percent of a utility’s retail sales come from qualifying renewable energy resources by 2030.
“Locally sourced solar energy is a win-win for LMUD and its customers who call this outdoor paradise home,” said Matt Handel, vice president of development for NextEra Energy Resources. “The project moves LMUD closer to its renewable energy mandate, reduces energy-price volatility, and gives citizens emissions-free electricity they can rely on.”
“This project will provide 15 percent of Lassen MUD’s total energy load, which is about half of our current Renewable Portfolio Standard requirement,” said Doug Smith, LMUD’s General Manager. “It fulfills LMUD’s commitment to our customers to support our local economy and to provide reliable, safe energy at the best possible price while meeting our RPS goal.”
LMUD will purchase the energy generated by the solar array under a 30-year agreement with the NextEra Energy Resources subsidiary. Renewable energy generated form the solar array will flow into LMUD’s 60kV transmission system and provide enough power to serve approximately 1,600 homes in Lassen County in the first year.
