NRG Solar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NRG Energy Incorporated, has started commercial operations at the Borrego I Solar Generating Station, a 26MW (AC) photovoltaic facility located northeast of Borrego Springs in California.
The Borrego facility will generate enough energy to meet the annual needs of approximately 9,000 homes. It will also avoid carbon dioxide emission of about 19,000 tons per year, which is equivalent of taking 3,500 cars off the road.
The station’s electricity will be sold to San Diego Gas & Electric under a 25-year power purchase agreement. Borrego is one of eight large-scale solar facilities in NRG’s ownership portfolio that is currently producing clean solar power for thousands of homes and businesses in three states.
The other seven completed or partially completed plants are Agua Caliente (under construction) and Avra Valley in Arizona; Roadrunner in New Mexico; and Avenal, Blythe, Alpine and California Valley Solar Ranch (under construction) in California. A ninth solar plant that is not yet producing power, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California, is expected to be completed before the end of 2013.