Avantus completes 1st phase of Aratina solar + storage project in California

A large solar and battery storage project in Kern County, California has started sending power to the grid. The first phase of the Aratina project, built by Avantus, combines 200 MW of solar power with 500 MWh of battery storage — enough to power more than 105,000 California homes each year. The electricity is sold under long-term contracts to two community choice aggregators (local agencies that buy power on behalf of residents), Central Coast Community Energy and Silicon Valley Clean Energy.

This is a utility-scale project, not something tied to individual homes, so it does not involve any direct signup or rebate for homeowners. But if you live in the Central Coast or Silicon Valley area and get your electricity through one of these community choice programs, this project adds more solar and battery power to the mix supplying your area, which can support grid reliability, especially during high-demand periods.

A second phase, Aratina 2, is already under construction next to the first and has lined up more than $525 million in financing. It's expected to start operating before the end of the year. Once both phases are complete, the combined Aratina Solar Center will produce 350 MW of solar power paired with 952 MWh of storage, making it one of the larger solar-plus-battery installations serving California's grid.