The California facility will supply 280 MWh of electricity to support PG&E during peak demand periods.
Strata Clean Energy officially inaugurated its 70 MW Inland Empire Energy Storage project in Rialto, California. The facility, the result of a partnership between the North Carolina-based developer and utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), will provide up to 280 MWh of energy to support the San Bernadino County region.
According to Strata, the new facility is designed to store excess energy generated during periods of low demand and release it during times of peak demand. Inland Empire is also intended to support of the state’s renewable energy targets. As one of nine battery storage projects announced by PG&E in 2022, the Inland Empire Energy Storage project is part of a broader effort to replace retiring fossil-fuel plants.
This transition comes at a time of growing energy demand, fueled in part by the growing number of power-hungry data centers supporting AI technologies, the adoption of electric vehicles and increasing electrification across other sectors of the economy.
The facility received a 15-year Resource Adequacy Agreement from PG&E in February 2022. Southern California Edison and PG&E facilitated the project’s interconnection, allowing it to achieve commercial operation status on October 9, 2024.
“This project reflects our commitment to advancing energy storage solutions and delivering results that support a sustainable, renewable-powered grid,” said Bob Schaffeld, president of Strata Clean Energy.
Beyond its impact on energy reliability and sustainability, Strata said the Inland Empire project also brings economic benefits to the region, including an estimated $13.3 million in property taxes and $710,000 in utility taxes over 20 years. In addition, over 92 local construction jobs created, and more than $50 million in local revenue will be generated during construction, Strata reports.
Inland Empire Energy Storage is Strata’s second contracted battery storage project in California. The 400 MWh Ventura Energy Storage project (now owned by Arevon) came online in the summer of 2021 and is serving Southern California Edison under a twenty-year Resource Adequacy Agreement.
Strata and its affiliates have over 170 solar generation and energy storage projects in operation, and a pipeline of more than 6 GW of solar and 22 GWh of storage in development.
