Westlands offers plan to retire 24,000 acres for solar power

fresnobee.com
The Westlands Water District is forging ahead with efforts to plan a solar energy park on thousands of acres of poor farmland in Kings County. The water district is partnering with Westside Holdings LLC to prepare a detailed environmental impact report and master plan for the proposed 24,000-acre Westlands Solar Park. The environmental work sets the stage for private solar companies to build individual projects to generate electricity on farmland the district has earmarked for retirement because of poor drainage and high levels of salt in the groundwater and the soil. (...) A notice filed by Westlands to notify the state and other agencies of the plans indicates that development is anticipated in 200-megawatt increments over 12 years. At total buildout, the power-generating capacity of the solar park would be about 2,400 megawatts of electricity.