PG&E Signs Contract with Sempra Generation for 10 Megawatts of Thin-Film Solar
San Francisco, CA, Dec 22, 2008
Source: PG&E press release
http://www.pge.com/about/news/mediarelations/
newsreleases/q4_2008/081222a.shtml
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced today that it has entered into a long-term agreement with El Dorado Energy, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sempra Generation, to purchase 10 megawatts of renewable, photovoltaic solar energy from Sempra Generation’s new El Dorado Energy Solar facility in Nevada.
“Solar energy is a reliable and environmentally-friendly way to help meet California’s peak energy demands,” said Jack Keenan, chief operating officer for PG&E. “Through our partnership with Sempra Generation, we will significantly increase the amount of solar energy we provide to our customers in 2009.”
The El Dorado Energy solar facility is located on 80 acres adjacent to Sempra Generation’s existing gas-fired power plant in Boulder City, Nevada. Power deliveries to PG&E are expected to begin by January 1, 2009. The project will generate up to 23.2 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy annually. That is equivalent to the amount of energy needed to serve more than 3,360 residential homes annually.
”We commend Pacific Gas and Electric Company and its decision to encourage and sustain new renewable energy installations such as El Dorado Energy Solar,” said Michael W. Allman, president and chief executive officer of Sempra Generation. “Our mutual, long-term commitment to solar energy will benefit western U.S. power customers for generations to come.”
Since 2002, PG&E has entered into contracts for more than 20 percent of its future electric power deliveries from renewable sources. On average, more than 50 percent of the electricity PG&E delivers to its customers comes from generating sources that emit no carbon dioxide, making the company’s energy among the cleanest in the nation.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to 15 million people in northern and central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com.