The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s community choice energy program, CleanPowerSF, is expanding its renewable energy portfolio, committing to a new 15-megawatt battery energy storage and 20-megawatt solar project in Stanislaus County, Calif.
The Paulsell Energy Center, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, will generate enough electricity annually to power approximately 17,000 average San Francisco homes.
The 15-MW, 4-hour battery energy storage system has been under construction southeast of Modesto since August 2022 and will begin operating this summer.
“We're continuing to strengthen San Francisco's public power network through investments in cutting-edge clean energy projects like the Paulsell Energy Center," said SFPUC General Manager Dennis Herrera. “The SFPUC has been a clean energy provider for 100 years, and we continue to expand our renewable energy portfolio to provide reliable, clean, and affordable electricity. Since launching CleanPowerSF in 2016, the SFPUC has also helped accelerate California's transition from fossil fuel power to more renewable energy, helping to green the electrical grid, create jobs, and grow the market for clean energy."
The SFPUC entered a 20-year contract with NextEra Energy Resources in 2020 for battery energy storage and solar supply with the Paulsell Energy Center, supporting the SFPUC’s long-term commitment to provide CleanPowerSF customers with 100% renewable and reliable electricity.
Including the Paulsell Energy Center, CleanPowerSF has secured contracts for a total of 490 megawatts of solar, wind, and geothermal projects.
Additionally, CleanPowerSF battery energy storage contracts now total almost 290 megawatts.
CleanPowerSF provides at least 90% clean and renewable energy at its entry-level service. CleanPowerSF already provides 100% renewable energy from newly constructed projects as part of its optional SuperGreen service.
The Paulsell Energy Center also provides benefits to the surrounding communities. Through the SFPUC’s Social Impact Partnership program, NextEra Energy Resources has committed to investing nearly $100,000 to educational and environmental justice nonprofit organizations in the Stanislaus community. In addition, the project created nearly 120 construction jobs for the local economy.
The SFPUC’s commitment to battery energy storage projects like Paulsell Energy Center has helped California reach a major milestone, it said.
The state surpassed 10,000 megawatts of battery energy storage capacity, up 1,250% since 2019. Ramping up battery energy storage is critical for California to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2045.
