Rice Solar Energy Project

Group

General Info

Owner/s:

SolarReserve

Technology:

Central receiver (power tower)

Country:

US

Status:

Development

Purpose:

Commercial

Usage:

Electricity

Power:

150.00 MW

Start date:

June, 2016

Location:

Rice, Riverside County, California

Generation:

448.00 GWh

Land area:

600 hectares

Technology

Solar field

Heliostat aperture:

62.4 m²

Number of heliostats:

17170

Reflecting area:

1 071 361 m²

Central receiver:

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

Receiver type:

External - cylindrical

Heat Transfer Fluid:

Molten salts - sodium and potassium nitrates

Tower height:

165 m (540 ft)

Power block

Storage Y/N:

Yes

Storage type:

two tank direct - Molten salts

Storage:

10.00 Hours

Storage temperature:

565ºC

Power cycle:

Steam Rankine

Power cycle pressure:

115 bar

Cooling:

Dry

Power (gross):

150.00 MW

Backup:

No

Companies involved

Project developer:

SolarReserve

Key components suppliers:

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

Suppliers details:

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (receiver)

Socioeconomics

Cost:

$600 million

Generation Offtaker:

PG&E

PPA/Tariff:

25 years (confidential price)

Construction Employment:

670 jobs-year | 5,300 indirect jobs

O&M employment:

45 jobs-year

Other

Solar resource:

2 598 kWh/m2/yr

Solar resource source:

NREL

General comments:

The plant is owned by Rice Solar, a wholly owned subsidiary or SolarReserve LLC

The plant is expected to be operational by June, 2016.

California Energy Commission has approved Application for Certification on December, 2010. Construction must commence within five years from approval date.

First PPA was signed with PG&E on 2009 and approved by CPUC on 2010

An amendment to the PPA, due to changes in the interconection point and a change of the guaranteed commercial operation date from October 2013 to June 2016, was approved by CPUC on 2013

*CPUC: California Public Utilities Commission

*PPA: Power Purchase Agreement

*PG&E: Pacific Gas & Electric (utility)

Documents and links:

Final Environmental Impact Statement / Plan Amendment (pdf - 6 MB)
CEC Commission dcision (pdf - 13 MB)
CEC Staff Assessment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (pdf - 44 MB)

Images:

Videos:

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