SCH Number 2025010194

Project Info

Title

Grace Solar Energy Center

Description

The Palo Verde Mesa Solar Project (Approved Project) is an up to 450 megawatts (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) electrical generating facility and associated infrastructure located on approximately 3,278 acres of private land. The Palo Verde Mesa Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR) No. 532, Conditional Use Permit (CUP) No. 3684, Public Use Permit (PUP) No. 916, and Development Agreement (DA) No. 86 were approved by Riverside County in August 2017. Grace Orchard Solar II LLC, Grace Orchard Energy Center LLC, Grace Orchard Solar III LLC, and Grace Orchard Interconnection, LLC (“Applicant”) propose to modify the approved project design and change the project name to Grace Solar Energy Center (Project) under a Supplemental EIR (SEIR) and CUP amendment. The Applicant proposes to entitle, construct, operate, maintain, and decommission the modified Project. The modified Project is located on approximately 3,705 acres, of which approximately 3,310 acres are located on private lands and approximately 395 acres are located on land administered by the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Project would include two phases. Under Phase 1, the Project would construct the 500-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generating facility, ancillary facilities, and an approximately 3.5-mile transmission line to interconnect with the existing Parker – Blythe 161 kilovolt (kV) transmission line owned by Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) on private land. The Phase 1 transmission line would interconnect through a tie-in with the existing Parker – Blythe 161 kV transmission line via a new 161 kV switchyard. Under Phase 2, the Project would construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a battery energy storage system (BESS) with a capacity up to 500 MW. Phase 2 would also include ancillary facilities on private land and an approximately 10.5-mile transmission line to interconnect with the Southern California Edison (SCE) 230-kV Colorado River Substation located on BLM-administered land. The majority of the Phase 2 transmission line (8.6 miles) would utilize the existing open-circuit of the double-circuit Arlington transmission line; and therefore, would be located within existing rights-of-way (ROW). The 395 acre area on BLM-administered lands would be limited to the transmission line in Phase 2.

2 documents in project