# Blythe Solar II, LLC

CAISO Solar Photovoltaic, Batteries · https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/blythe-solar-ii-llc

Blythe Solar II, LLC is a hybrid solar and battery storage facility with 246.2 MW of EIA-reported total operating capacity and 538.6 MWh of reported storage energy capacity in Riverside County, California, registered as EIA Plant ID 60092. Blythe Solar II, LLC owns and operates the plant. The facility uses First Solar Solar thin-film photovoltaic modules (exact series not specified) equipment; public project records list 1 battery units.

## Key facts

- Technology: Solar Photovoltaic, Batteries
- Power capacity: 246.2 MW
- Energy capacity: 538.6 MWh
- Operating status: operating

## Grid and market context

- ISO/RTO: CAISO
- Balancing authority: CISO
- Substation: Colorado River Substation (CRS)
- Point of interconnection: Colorado River Substation (CRS)
- Transmission owner: Southern California Edison
- Interconnection voltage: 220 kV

## Source-backed facts

- Identifiers: [{"value":"60092","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"BLCK4","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"BLCK5","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"BLCK6","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"BLCK7","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"BLST2","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO"},{"value":"CISO","system":"Balancing authority"},{"value":"09-AFC-06C","system":"California Energy Commission docket"},{"value":"09-AFC-06","system":"California Energy Commission project docket"},{"value":"ER16-632-000","system":"FERC market-based-rate docket"},{"value":"BLST2","system":"FERC registered generator"}] — Federal Register :: Blythe Solar II, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section 204 Authorization · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"60092","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"BLCK4","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"BLCK5","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"BLCK6","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"BLCK7","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"BLST2","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO"},{"value":"CISO","system":"Balancing authority"},{"value":"09-AFC-06C","system":"California Energy Commission docket"},{"value":"09-AFC-06","system":"California Energy Commission project docket"},{"value":"ER16-632-000","system":"FERC market-based-rate docket"},{"value":"BLST2","system":"FERC registered generator"}] — Source · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.10: {"value":"ER16-632-000","system":"FERC market-based-rate docket"} — Federal Register :: Blythe Solar II, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section 204 Authorization · confidence: high
- Identifiers.11: {"value":"BLST2","system":"FERC registered generator"} — Asset Appendix Report - MBR Portal - FERC · confidence: medium
- Product url: https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-6 — Series 6 Family | First Solar · confidence: medium
- Product url: https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-6 — Top 10: US Battery Energy Storage Facilities | Energy Digital · confidence: medium
- Financing summary: The July 2016 CEC ownership-transfer petition stated that separating Units 1 and 2 was intended to facilitate power contracting, financing and construction, but it disclosed no project-financing amount, lender, tax-equity investor, or sale consideration for Blythe Solar II. A separately reported $2.1 billion DOE conditional loan guarantee applied to the original concentrating-solar proposal by Solar Millennium, not the later modified photovoltaic-and-battery configuration, and is therefore not treated as Blythe Solar II financing. — Ground Breaking of Blythe Solar Power Project · confidence: medium
- Timeline: [{"event":"Original project certification","date":"2010-09-15","detail":"The California Energy Commission certified the original Blythe Solar Power Project, which was then proposed as a solar-thermal project."},{"event":"Predecessor-project acquisition","date":"2012-06-12","detail":"After original owner Solar Trust of America filed for bankruptcy, NextEra Blythe Solar Energy Center, LLC acquired the project; the CEC approved the ownership transfer on June 12, 2012."},{"event":"Modified photovoltaic project approved","date":"2014-01-15","detail":"The CEC approved conversion of the original solar-thermal proposal to a smaller four-phase photovoltaic project."},{"event":"Construction began","date":"2015-03","detail":"Construction of the modified Blythe Solar Power Project began."},{"event":"Unit 2 transfer petition filed","date":"2016-07-01","detail":"NextEra Blythe Solar Energy Center, LLC petitioned to transfer Unit 2 to Blythe Solar II, LLC, with the stated purpose of facilitating separate contracting, financing and construction."},{"event":"Unit 2 ownership transfer approved","date":"2016-08-10","detail":"The CEC approved the transfer of all rights and interests in Unit 2 from NextEra Blythe Solar Energy Center, LLC to Blythe Solar II, LLC. The transferor retained shared facilities and Units 3 and 4."},{"event":"Solar generator commissioning sequence","date":"2016","detail":"EIA generator records show BLCK4 entering operation in July 2016, BLCK5 in August 2016, BLCK6 in September 2016 and BLCK7 in October 2016."},{"event":"Unit 2 commercial operation","date":"2016-10-28","detail":"The CEC records Blythe Solar Power Project Unit 2, the unit transferred to Blythe Solar II, LLC, as becoming operational on October 28, 2016."},{"event":"Battery addition entered operation","date":"2021-03","detail":"EIA generator records show battery BLST2 operating from March 2021 at 115 MW, with 538.6 MWh of nameplate energy capacity."}] — Source · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.2: {"relationship":"Original project owner","name":"Solar Trust of America","detail":"Original owner of the Blythe Solar Power Project; its bankruptcy preceded acquisition of the project by NextEra Blythe Solar Energy Center, LLC in 2012.","official_url":null} — Source · confidence: medium
- Quality notes.1: CEC project-level records give October 28, 2016 as Unit 2's operational date, while EIA generator records show the individual solar generators entering service from July through October 2016; both dates are retained because they refer to different reporting levels. — Ground Breaking of Blythe Solar Power Project · confidence: medium
- Timeline.1: {"event":"Predecessor-project acquisition","date":"2012-06-12","detail":"After original owner Solar Trust of America filed for bankruptcy, NextEra Blythe Solar Energy Center, LLC acquired the project; the CEC approved the ownership transfer on June 12, 2012."} — Source · confidence: high

## Timeline

- 2010-09-15 — Original project certification
  The California Energy Commission certified the original Blythe Solar Power Project, which was then proposed as a solar-thermal project.
  Source: Blythe Solar Power Project | California Energy Commission (https://www.energy.ca.gov/powerplant/pv/blythe-solar-power-project)
- 2014-01-15 — Modified photovoltaic project approved
  The CEC approved conversion of the original solar-thermal proposal to a smaller four-phase photovoltaic project.
  Source: Source (https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=212054&DocumentContentId=3956)
- 2015-03 — Construction began
  Construction of the modified Blythe Solar Power Project began.
  Source: Blythe Solar Power Project | California Energy Commission (https://www.energy.ca.gov/powerplant/pv/blythe-solar-power-project)
- 2016-07-01 — Unit 2 transfer petition filed
  NextEra Blythe Solar Energy Center, LLC petitioned to transfer Unit 2 to Blythe Solar II, LLC, with the stated purpose of facilitating separate contracting, financing and construction.
  Source: Source (https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=212054&DocumentContentId=3956)
- 2016-10-28 — Unit 2 commercial operation
  The CEC records Blythe Solar Power Project Unit 2, the unit transferred to Blythe Solar II, LLC, as becoming operational on October 28, 2016.
  Source: Blythe Solar Power Project | California Energy Commission (https://www.energy.ca.gov/powerplant/pv/blythe-solar-power-project)

## Sources

- [Source](https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=212731&DocumentContentId=3958) — efiling.energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [Federal Register :: Blythe Solar II, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section 204 Authorization](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/01/06/2015-33233/blythe-solar-ii-llc-supplemental-notice-that-initial-market-based-rate-filing-includes-request-for) — federalregister.gov · tier regulatory
- [Blythe Solar Power Project | California Energy Commission](https://www.energy.ca.gov/powerplant/pv/blythe-solar-power-project) — energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [MBR | Asset Appendix Report](https://mbrweb.ferc.gov/SearchMBRAssetAppendix/AssetAppendixDetails?page=2&AssetAppendixId=4534) — mbrweb.ferc.gov · tier regulatory
- [10 notable battery storage projects that went live in 2021](https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/energy-storage/battery/10-notable-battery-storage-projects-that-went-live-in-2021/) — renewableenergyworld.com · tier other
- [Top 10: US Battery Energy Storage Facilities | Energy Digital](https://energydigital.com/top10/top-10-us-battery-energy-storage-facilities) — energydigital.com · tier other
- [Series 6 Family | First Solar](https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-6) — firstsolar.com · tier other
- [Mount Vernon Battery Storage | FAQ](https://www.nexteraenergyresources.com/mount-vernon-battery-storage/faq.html) — nexteraenergyresources.com · tier other
- [Source](https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=212054&DocumentContentId=3956) — efiling.energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [Ground Breaking of Blythe Solar Power Project](https://www.energy.gov/articles/ground-breaking-blythe-solar-power-project) — energy.gov · tier regulatory
- [California PUC Reviews Southern California Edison Deal with 131-MW Solar Project](https://www.power-eng.com/renewables/solar-energy/california-puc-reviews-southern-california-edison-deal-with-131-mw-solar-project/) — power-eng.com · tier other
- [Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860) - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia860m/) — eia.gov · tier regulatory
- [Operable](https://downloads.regulations.gov/EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0419-0013/attachment_35.xlsx) — downloads.regulations.gov · tier regulatory

## Data quality

- The CEC describes the broader Blythe Solar Power Project as a 485 MW, four-unit project; this directory record is limited to EIA plant 60092, associated with Unit 2 and its battery, and does not represent the entire 485 MW project. CEC project-level records give October 28, 2016 as Unit 2's operational date, while EIA generator records show the individual solar generators entering service from July through October 2016; both dates are retained because they refer to different reporting levels. The 2016 ownership transfer was between entities within the NextEra Energy Resources group, and the cited records do not disclose a sale price or transaction consideration. No retirement or repowering milestone is identified in the cited records.

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