# Copper Mountain Solar 2

CAISO Solar Photovoltaic · https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/copper-mountain-solar-2

Copper Mountain Solar 2 is a solar power facility with 154 MW of EIA-reported operating capacity in Clark County, Nevada, registered as EIA Plant ID 58017. The project was developed as a 150 MW solar-photovoltaic facility under a 25-year Pacific Gas and Electric Company power-purchase agreement, with interconnection planned through the CAISO grid or dynamic scheduling into CAISO. Cupertino Electric described the site as an addition to one of the largest thin-film photovoltaic plants in the United States.

## Key facts

- Technology: Solar Photovoltaic
- Power capacity: 154 MW
- Operating status: operating

## Grid and market context

- ISO/RTO: CAISO
- Balancing authority: CISO
- Interconnection voltage: 230 kV

## Source-backed facts

- Owner logo domain: rwe.com — Copper Mountain Solar | RWE In The Americas · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"58017","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"PV01","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"PV02","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"PV03","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"PV04","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"PV05","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO"},{"value":"CISO","system":"Balancing authority"},{"value":"ER12-1566-001","system":"FERC MBR docket"},{"value":"ER21-1038; ER21-1039; ER21-1041","system":"FERC eLibrary dockets"},{"value":"12-59","system":"FERC exempt wholesale generator docket"},{"value":"COPMTN 2 SOLAR","system":"CAISO resource/project label"}] — eLibrary | Document Information · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"58017","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"PV01","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"PV02","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"PV03","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"PV04","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"PV05","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO"},{"value":"CISO","system":"Balancing authority"},{"value":"ER12-1566-001","system":"FERC MBR docket"},{"value":"ER21-1038; ER21-1039; ER21-1041","system":"FERC eLibrary dockets"},{"value":"12-59","system":"FERC exempt wholesale generator docket"},{"value":"COPMTN 2 SOLAR","system":"CAISO resource/project label"}] — DOCKETED · confidence: medium
- Official project url: https://americas.rwe.com/our-energy/solar-energy/solar-projects-and-locations/copper-mountain-solar/ — Copper Mountain Solar | RWE In The Americas · confidence: medium
- Owner name: RWE Clean Energy — Copper Mountain Solar | RWE In The Americas · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.9: {"value":"ER21-1038; ER21-1039; ER21-1041","system":"FERC eLibrary dockets"} — eLibrary | Document Information · confidence: high
- Identifiers.11: {"value":"COPMTN 2 SOLAR","system":"CAISO resource/project label"} — DOCKETED · confidence: medium
- Parties.1: {"relationship":"FERC-registered QSE and affiliated filing entity","name":"RWE Clean Energy QSE, LLC","official_url":"https://americas.rwe.com/"} — Asset Appendix Report - MBR Portal · confidence: high
- Parties.3: {"relationship":"Original developer and parent of Copper Mountain 2, LLC","name":"Sempra Generation","official_url":"https://www.sempra.com/"} — E-4447 Final Redacted Resolution (This approves cost recovery for the long-term renewable energy power purchase agreement between PG&E and Copper Mountain 2, LLC) · confidence: high
- Parties.5: {"relationship":"Substation and transmission-line contractor","name":"Cupertino Electric, Inc.","official_url":"https://www.cei.com/"} — Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project · confidence: high
- Parties.7: {"relationship":"PV module supplier","name":"First Solar","official_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/"} — Power plant profile: Copper Mountain Solar Park, US · confidence: medium
- Site acres: 1095 — TURNING LAND INTO REVENUES: TURNING LAND INTO REVENUES: UNDERSTANDING SOLAR UNDERSTANDING SOLAR LEASE REVENUES LEASE REVENUES · confidence: medium
- Commercial operation date: 2012-07-01 — Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project · confidence: medium
- Construction scope: Copper Mountain Solar 2 was built as a 150 MW utility-scale solar project in two phases, with the EIA-derived plant record reporting 154 MW of nameplate capacity across five operating photovoltaic generating units. First Solar supplied the ground-mounted thin-film PV panels and served as EPC contractor. Cupertino Electric constructed the substation, a 1.5-mile 230 kV transmission extension to PG&E infrastructure, site grounding, substation physical and bus work, an HV transformer bay, control/protection and instrumentation wiring, and below- and above-grade conduits and cable trench. The substation was constructed from late 2011 through summer 2012, and the second solar phase was completed in 2015. No full-plant module or inverter count is established. — Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project · confidence: medium
- Product url: https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Technical-Documents/Series-3-Datasheets/Series-3-Black-Datasheet---North-America.PDF — First Solar® FS Series 3™ Black PV Module · confidence: medium
- Product url: https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Technical-Documents/Series-3-Datasheets/Series-3-Black-Datasheet---North-America.PDF — Source · confidence: medium
- Product family: First Solar advanced thin-film PV modules — Source · confidence: medium
- Product family: First Solar advanced thin-film PV modules — 404 | First Solar · confidence: medium
- Manufacturer name: First Solar — Source · confidence: high
- Equipment models.0: {"manufacturer_domain":"firstsolar.com","product_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Technical-Documents/Series-3-Datasheets/Series-3-Black-Datasheet---North-America.PDF","count":null,"unit_mw":null,"name":"First Solar advanced thin-film PV modules"} — Source · confidence: medium
- Construction scope: Copper Mountain Solar 2 was built as a 150 MW utility-scale solar project in two phases, with the EIA-derived plant record reporting 154 MW of nameplate capacity across five operating photovoltaic generating units. First Solar supplied the ground-mounted thin-film PV panels and served as EPC contractor. Cupertino Electric constructed the substation, a 1.5-mile 230 kV transmission extension to PG&E infrastructure, site grounding, substation physical and bus work, an HV transformer bay, control/protection and instrumentation wiring, and below- and above-grade conduits and cable trench. The substation was constructed from late 2011 through summer 2012, and the second solar phase was completed in 2015. No full-plant module or inverter count is established. — Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project · confidence: medium
- Construction scope: Copper Mountain Solar 2 was built as a 150 MW utility-scale solar project in two phases, with the EIA-derived plant record reporting 154 MW of nameplate capacity across five operating photovoltaic generating units. First Solar supplied the ground-mounted thin-film PV panels and served as EPC contractor. Cupertino Electric constructed the substation, a 1.5-mile 230 kV transmission extension to PG&E infrastructure, site grounding, substation physical and bus work, an HV transformer bay, control/protection and instrumentation wiring, and below- and above-grade conduits and cable trench. The substation was constructed from late 2011 through summer 2012, and the second solar phase was completed in 2015. No full-plant module or inverter count is established. — Source · confidence: medium
- Product url: https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Technical-Documents/Series-3-Datasheets/Series-3-Black-Datasheet---North-America.PDF — First Solar® FS Series 3™ Black PV Module · confidence: medium
- Product url: https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Technical-Documents/Series-3-Datasheets/Series-3-Black-Datasheet---North-America.PDF — Source · confidence: medium
- Manufacturer domain: firstsolar.com — Source · confidence: high
- Manufacturer domain: firstsolar.com — First Solar® FS Series 3™ Black PV Module · confidence: high
- Equipment models: [{"manufacturer_domain":"firstsolar.com","product_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Technical-Documents/Series-3-Datasheets/Series-3-Black-Datasheet---North-America.PDF","count":null,"unit_mw":null,"name":"First Solar advanced thin-film PV modules"},{"manufacturer_domain":"sma-america.com","product_url":null,"count":null,"unit_mw":null,"name":"SMA Solar Technology inverters"}] — First Solar® FS Series 3™ Black PV Module · confidence: medium
- Product family: First Solar advanced thin-film PV modules — Source · confidence: medium
- Product family: First Solar advanced thin-film PV modules — First Solar® FS Series 3™ Black PV Module · confidence: medium
- Manufacturer name: First Solar — Source · confidence: high
- Equipment models.0: {"manufacturer_domain":"firstsolar.com","product_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Technical-Documents/Series-3-Datasheets/Series-3-Black-Datasheet---North-America.PDF","count":null,"unit_mw":null,"name":"First Solar advanced thin-film PV modules"} — Source · confidence: medium
- Equipment models.0: {"manufacturer_domain":"firstsolar.com","product_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Technical-Documents/Series-3-Datasheets/Series-3-Black-Datasheet---North-America.PDF","count":null,"unit_mw":null,"name":"First Solar advanced thin-film PV modules"} — First Solar® FS Series 3™ Black PV Module · confidence: medium
- Description: Copper Mountain Solar 2 is an operational solar-photovoltaic plant in Clark County, Nevada; the current EIA-derived record reports 154 MW across five generators, while historical project and regulatory documents describe 150 MW of contracted capacity. Sempra Generation developed the project through Copper Mountain 2, LLC, with substation construction beginning in late 2011 and the second phase completed in 2015. Sempra's interest in the jointly owned project was sold to Consolidated Edison in December 2018, and Consolidated Edison subsequently transferred its Clean Energy Businesses to RWE Renewables Americas in a transaction that closed in March 2023 after an October 2022 agreement. PG&E is the power purchaser, and Cupertino Electric built the substation and a 1.5-mile 230-kV transmission extension. — Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project · confidence: medium
- Description: Copper Mountain Solar 2 is an operational solar-photovoltaic plant in Clark County, Nevada; the current EIA-derived record reports 154 MW across five generators, while historical project and regulatory documents describe 150 MW of contracted capacity. Sempra Generation developed the project through Copper Mountain 2, LLC, with substation construction beginning in late 2011 and the second phase completed in 2015. Sempra's interest in the jointly owned project was sold to Consolidated Edison in December 2018, and Consolidated Edison subsequently transferred its Clean Energy Businesses to RWE Renewables Americas in a transaction that closed in March 2023 after an October 2022 agreement. PG&E is the power purchaser, and Cupertino Electric built the substation and a 1.5-mile 230-kV transmission extension. — Sempra Energy Completes Sale Of U.S. Solar Assets To Consolidated Edison · confidence: medium
- Quality notes: ["The current EIA-derived plant record reports 154 MW and five generators, whereas the CPUC-approved PPA and project-construction materials describe 150 MW; the figures refer to different reporting bases and should not be conflated.","The ownership chronology is best stated as Sempra's interest transferring to Consolidated Edison on 2018-12-13, followed by Consolidated Edison's sale of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses to RWE Renewables Americas, which closed on 2023-03-01. RWE's project page summarizes the acquisition as occurring in 2022, consistent with the October 2022 purchase agreement.","No project-specific retirement or repowering milestone is stated in the cited materials. RWE's reference to battery storage planned for 2027-2030 applies to the broader Copper Mountain Solar complex and is not assigned here to EIA plant 58017.","The disclosed $1.6 billion Sempra-Consolidated Edison amount and $6.8 billion RWE-Consolidated Edison amount are portfolio-level transaction values, not Copper Mountain Solar 2-specific sale consideration."] — Copper Mountain Solar | RWE In The Americas · confidence: medium
- Financing summary: A Nevada tax-abatement order for Copper Mountain Solar 2, LLC reports total abatements of $21,145,194.76; this is a public incentive rather than project debt financing. A secondary subsidy database separately lists a 2013 federal grant of $16,572,589 to Copper Mountain Solar 2, LLC. Sempra's December 2018 sale to Consolidated Edison was approximately $1.6 billion in cash for a broader portfolio including Sempra's interest in Copper Mountain Solar 2, while RWE's October 2022 agreement to acquire Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses was based on a $6.8 billion enterprise value; neither transaction value is project-specific. — Sempra Energy Completes Sale Of U.S. Solar Assets To Consolidated Edison · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.0: {"relationship":"Current owner/operator","name":"RWE Clean Energy","detail":"The current plant record identifies RWE Clean Energy as the operator; RWE's project materials identify RWE as the current owner of the Copper Mountain project.","official_url":"https://americas.rwe.com/"} — Application Filing No. 11-1026SPV · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.3: {"relationship":"Original developer and 2018 seller of its interest","name":"Sempra Generation","detail":"Developed Copper Mountain Solar 2 through Copper Mountain 2, LLC and sold its interest in the jointly owned facility to Consolidated Edison in December 2018.","official_url":"https://www.sempra.com/"} — Sempra Energy Completes Sale Of U.S. Solar Assets To Consolidated Edison · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.5: {"relationship":"Joint development/ownership partner","name":"Con Edison Development","detail":"Participated with Sempra U.S. Gas & Power in the jointly owned Copper Mountain 2 Solar project before the portfolio transfer to Consolidated Edison.","official_url":"https://www.conedison.com/"} — Cupertino Electric, AMEC Foster Wheeler Build One of the Largest Photovoltaic Solar Projects in the U.S. | Cupertino Electric · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.7: {"relationship":"Substation and transmission-line contractor","name":"Cupertino Electric, Inc.","detail":"Built the Copper Mountain Solar 2 substation and a 1.5-mile, 230-kV transmission extension to PG&E transmission infrastructure.","official_url":"https://www.cei.com/"} — Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project · confidence: high
- Timeline.1: {"event":"Substation construction began","date":"2011","detail":"Cupertino Electric began construction of the Copper Mountain Solar 2 substation in late 2011, including the grid-connection scope."} — Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project · confidence: high
- Timeline.4: {"event":"Second phase completed","date":"2015","detail":"Cupertino Electric reports completion of the second phase in 2015, bringing the historical project capacity to 150 MW."} — Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project · confidence: high
- Timeline.5: {"event":"Sempra interest sold to Consolidated Edison","date":"2018-12-13","detail":"Sempra completed the sale of its U.S. renewable portfolio to Consolidated Edison for approximately $1.6 billion in cash; the transaction included Sempra's interest in the jointly owned Copper Mountain Solar 2 facility."} — Sempra Energy Completes Sale Of U.S. Solar Assets To Consolidated Edison · confidence: high
- Quality notes.1: The ownership chronology is best stated as Sempra's interest transferring to Consolidated Edison on 2018-12-13, followed by Consolidated Edison's sale of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses to RWE Renewables Americas, which closed on 2023-03-01. RWE's project page summarizes the acquisition as occurring in 2022, consistent with the October 2022 purchase agreement. — Copper Mountain Solar | RWE In The Americas · confidence: high
- Quality notes.2: No project-specific retirement or repowering milestone is stated in the cited materials. RWE's reference to battery storage planned for 2027-2030 applies to the broader Copper Mountain Solar complex and is not assigned here to EIA plant 58017. — Copper Mountain Solar | RWE In The Americas · confidence: medium
- Quality notes.3: The disclosed $1.6 billion Sempra-Consolidated Edison amount and $6.8 billion RWE-Consolidated Edison amount are portfolio-level transaction values, not Copper Mountain Solar 2-specific sale consideration. — Sempra Energy Completes Sale Of U.S. Solar Assets To Consolidated Edison · confidence: high
- Acquirer: Consolidated Edison Development — Sempra sells part interest in Boulder City plant | Energy · confidence: medium
- Interconnection voltage kv: 230 — Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project · confidence: high

## Timeline

- 2011 — Substation construction began
  Cupertino Electric began construction of the Copper Mountain Solar 2 substation in late 2011, including the grid-connection scope.
  Source: Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project (https://www.cei.com/our-work/copper-mountain-solar-2)
- 2011-07-26 — Power purchase agreement
  PG&E executed a 25-year renewable power purchase agreement with Copper Mountain 2, LLC for output from the 150 MW solar photovoltaic facility near Boulder City, Nevada. First 92 MW expected online December 31, 2012; remaining 58 MW by July 15, 2015. CPUC approved the PPA without modification.
  Source: E-4447 Final Redacted Resolution (This approves cost recovery for the long-term renewable energy power purchase agreement between PG&E and Copper Mountain 2, LLC) (https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/published/Final_resolution/156079.htm)
- 2015 — Second phase completed
  Cupertino Electric reports completion of the second phase in 2015, bringing the historical project capacity to 150 MW.
  Source: Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project (https://www.cei.com/our-work/copper-mountain-solar-2)
- 2022-10-01 — RWE acquisition agreement signed
  RWE AG signed an agreement to acquire all shares of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses from Consolidated Edison for a transaction based on $6.8 billion of enterprise value.
  Source: RWE agrees to acquire Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, Inc. and to become one of the top leading renewable energy companies in the United States (https://www.rwe.com/en/press/rwe-ag/2022-10-01-rwe-acquire-con-edison-clean-energy/)

## Sources

- [Copper Mountain Solar | RWE In The Americas](https://americas.rwe.com/our-energy/solar-energy/solar-projects-and-locations/copper-mountain-solar/) — americas.rwe.com · tier other
- [MBR | Asset Appendix Report](https://mbrweb.ferc.gov/SearchMBRAssetAppendix/AssetAppendixDetails?AssetAppendixId=11705) — mbrweb.ferc.gov · tier regulatory
- [eLibrary | Document Information](https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/docinfo?accession_Number=20210312-3030&sid=3f2fa233-444b-4e87-a5c4-0277499c4be4) — elibrary.ferc.gov · tier regulatory
- [DOCKETED](https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=217518) — efiling.energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [E-4447 Final Redacted Resolution (This approves cost recovery for the long-term renewable energy power purchase agreement between PG&E and Copper Mountain 2, LLC)](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/published/Final_resolution/156079.htm) — docs.cpuc.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [Copper Mountain Solar 2 Project](https://www.cei.com/our-work/copper-mountain-solar-2) — cei.com · tier other
- [Power plant profile: Copper Mountain Solar Park, US](https://www.power-technology.com/marketdata/power-plant-profile-copper-mountain-solar-park-us/) — power-technology.com · tier other
- [TURNING LAND INTO REVENUES: TURNING LAND INTO REVENUES: UNDERSTANDING SOLAR UNDERSTANDING SOLAR LEASE REVENUES LEASE REVENUES](https://www.bcnv.org/DocumentCenter/View/8182/Energy-Revenues-Brochure-FY20) — bcnv.org · tier other
- [First Solar® FS Series 3™ Black PV Module](https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Technical-Documents/Series-3-Datasheets/Series-3-Black-Datasheet---North-America.PDF) — firstsolar.com · tier other
- [Source](https://investor.sempra.com/static-files/7e075ef1-b543-4a58-a097-11b75d3a5e33) — investor.sempra.com · tier other
- [404 | First Solar](https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-3) — firstsolar.com · tier other
- [Sempra Energy Completes Sale Of U.S. Solar Assets To Consolidated Edison](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sempra-energy-completes-sale-of-us-solar-assets-to-consolidated-edison-300765394.html) — prnewswire.com · tier other
- [RWE agrees to acquire Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, Inc. and to become one of the top leading renewable energy companies in the United States](https://www.rwe.com/en/press/rwe-ag/2022-10-01-rwe-acquire-con-edison-clean-energy/) — rwe.com · tier other
- [Application Filing No. 11-1026SPV](https://www.energy.nv.gov/siteassets/content/documents/meetings/tax-abatement/CMS2Order.PDF) — energy.nv.gov · tier regulatory
- [Cupertino Electric, AMEC Foster Wheeler Build One of the Largest Photovoltaic Solar Projects in the U.S. | Cupertino Electric](https://www.cei.com/about-cei/media-room/press-release/cupertino-electric-amec-foster-wheeler-build-one-the-largest) — cei.com · tier other
- [ED-2022.12.31.2022-10K](https://investor.conedison.com/static-files/3c1f8151-01ab-45f4-a962-be78e6b74864) — investor.conedison.com · tier other
- [Sempra sells part interest in Boulder City plant | Energy](https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/energy/sempra-sells-part-interest-in-boulder-city-plant/) — reviewjournal.com · tier other
- [Announced Resource Retirement and Mothball List posted | California ISO](https://www.caiso.com/notices/announced-resource-retirement-and-mothball-list-posted-4) — caiso.com · tier other

## Data quality

- The current EIA-derived plant record reports 154 MW and five generators, whereas the CPUC-approved PPA and project-construction materials describe 150 MW; the figures refer to different reporting bases and should not be conflated. RWE's project page summarizes the acquisition as occurring in 2022, consistent with the October 2022 purchase agreement. No project-specific retirement or repowering milestone is stated in the cited materials. RWE's reference to battery storage planned for 2027-2030 applies to the broader Copper Mountain Solar complex and is not assigned here to EIA plant 58017. The disclosed $1.6 billion Sempra-Consolidated Edison amount and $6.8 billion RWE-Consolidated Edison amount are portfolio-level transaction values, not Copper Mountain Solar 2-specific sale consideration.

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Canonical page: https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/copper-mountain-solar-2

Source: Ask the Grid — https://askthegrid.com/