The 800 MW natural gas-fired CPV Sentinel Energy Project, has begun flowing electricity to the California power grid three months early.
Competitive Power Ventures Inc., GE Energy Financial Services and Diamond Generating Corp. said the California Independent System Operator (California ISO) and the California Energy Commission have declared commercial operations for the Riverside County power plant.
The CPV Sentinel Energy Project is located near Desert Hot Springs, amidst wind farms producing 600 MW of electricity, five miles northwest of Palm Springs. The project uses peaking power generation technology, the GE LMS100 aeroderivative gas turbine, to provide electricity to about 640,000 homes in Southern California Edison’s service territory.
Gemma Power Systems California, Inc. was the general contractor overseeing construction of the project, which created over 350 direct and indirect jobs and infused the local economy with about $30 million in sales tax. Over 731 thousand construction hours went into building the project.
The project is providing power based on short-term sales agreements now.
Beginning in August, CPV Sentinel will supply electricity under a long-term power purchase agreement to Southern California Edison (SCE). CPV, the managing member, developer and asset manager, owns 25 percent of the project, while DGC owns 50 percent and will serve as the plant’s operator and GE Energy Financial Services owns 25 percent.
