# Mount Signal Solar Farm II

CAISO Solar Photovoltaic · https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/mount-signal-solar-farm-ii

Mount Signal Solar Farm II is a solar power facility with 153.5 MW of EIA-reported operating capacity in Imperial County, California, registered as EIA Plant ID 61353. Project filings list 500,000 solar panels for the facility. US Solar Fund acquired a 25% interest in the plant from New Energy Solar Fund in March 2021.

## Key facts

- Technology: Solar Photovoltaic
- Power capacity: 153.5 MW
- Operating status: operating

## Grid and market context

- ISO/RTO: CAISO
- Balancing authority: CISO (CAISO)
- Substation: Imperial Valley 230 kV Switchyard
- Point of interconnection: Imperial Valley 230 kV Switchyard
- Interconnection voltage: 230 kV

## Source-backed facts

- Owner logo domain: mn8.com — MN8 Energy | Independent Power Producer—Enterprise... · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"61353","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"IVS2","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"CISO","system":"EIA balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO power market"},{"value":"643AO","system":"CAISO interconnection queue project"},{"value":"Mount Signal 2","system":"CAISO participating-resource name"},{"value":"61353","system":"FERC MBR plant code"}] — Public Queue Report · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"61353","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"IVS2","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"CISO","system":"EIA balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO power market"},{"value":"643AO","system":"CAISO interconnection queue project"},{"value":"Mount Signal 2","system":"CAISO participating-resource name"},{"value":"61353","system":"FERC MBR plant code"}] — Resource category and phase · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"61353","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"IVS2","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"CISO","system":"EIA balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO power market"},{"value":"643AO","system":"CAISO interconnection queue project"},{"value":"Mount Signal 2","system":"CAISO participating-resource name"},{"value":"61353","system":"FERC MBR plant code"}] — EIA - MBR Portal - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission · confidence: medium
- Parties: [{"relationship":"Current owner and operator","name":"MN8 Energy LLC","official_url":"https://mn8.com/"},{"relationship":"Registered utility/entity in FERC MBR record","name":"Imperial Valley Solar 2, LLC","official_url":null},{"relationship":"Former owner and seller","name":"US Solar Fund (USF)","official_url":"https://www.ussolarfund.co.uk/"},{"relationship":"Former co-owner and developer","name":"New Energy Solar Fund (NEW)","official_url":null},{"relationship":"Developer","name":"Avantus","official_url":"https://www.avantus.com/"},{"relationship":"Developer","name":"Silver Ridge Power","official_url":null},{"relationship":"EPC contractor and constructor","name":"Swinerton Renewable Energy","official_url":"https://www.swinerton.com/"},{"relationship":"PV module supplier","name":"First Solar","official_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/"},{"relationship":"Inverter supplier","name":"Power Electronics España","official_url":"https://www.power-electronics.com/"},{"relationship":"Single-axis tracker supplier","name":"NEXTracker","official_url":"https://www.nextracker.com/"},{"relationship":"Operations and maintenance provider","name":"First Solar Energy Services","official_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/"},{"relationship":"Operations and maintenance provider","name":"NovaSource Power Services","official_url":"https://www.novasourcepower.com/"},{"relationship":"Power-purchase-agreement offtaker","name":"Southern California Edison","official_url":"https://www.sce.com/"}] — EIA - MBR Portal - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.4: {"value":"643AO","system":"CAISO interconnection queue project"} — Public Queue Report · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.5: {"value":"Mount Signal 2","system":"CAISO participating-resource name"} — Resource category and phase · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.6: {"value":"61353","system":"FERC MBR plant code"} — EIA - MBR Portal - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission · confidence: medium
- Parties.1: {"relationship":"Registered utility/entity in FERC MBR record","name":"Imperial Valley Solar 2, LLC","official_url":null} — EIA - MBR Portal - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission · confidence: medium
- Parties.3: {"relationship":"Former co-owner and developer","name":"New Energy Solar Fund (NEW)","official_url":null} — Power plant profile: Mount Signal Solar PV Park - 2, US · confidence: medium
- Parties.4: {"relationship":"Developer","name":"Avantus","official_url":"https://www.avantus.com/"} — Power plant profile: Mount Signal Solar PV Park - 2, US · confidence: medium
- Parties.5: {"relationship":"Developer","name":"Silver Ridge Power","official_url":null} — Power plant profile: Mount Signal Solar PV Park - 2, US · confidence: medium
- Parties.7: {"relationship":"PV module supplier","name":"First Solar","official_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/"} — Power plant profile: Mount Signal Solar PV Park - 2, US · confidence: high
- Parties.8: {"relationship":"Inverter supplier","name":"Power Electronics España","official_url":"https://www.power-electronics.com/"} — Power plant profile: Mount Signal Solar PV Park - 2, US · confidence: high
- Parties.9: {"relationship":"Single-axis tracker supplier","name":"NEXTracker","official_url":"https://www.nextracker.com/"} — Power plant profile: Mount Signal Solar PV Park - 2, US · confidence: high
- Parties.10: {"relationship":"Operations and maintenance provider","name":"First Solar Energy Services","official_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/"} — Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK · confidence: high
- Parties.11: {"relationship":"Operations and maintenance provider","name":"NovaSource Power Services","official_url":"https://www.novasourcepower.com/"} — Power plant profile: Mount Signal Solar PV Park - 2, US · confidence: medium
- Parties.12: {"relationship":"Power-purchase-agreement offtaker","name":"Southern California Edison","official_url":"https://www.sce.com/"} — Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK · confidence: high
- Product url: https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-6 — Series 6 Family · confidence: medium
- Manufacturer domain: firstsolar.com — Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK · confidence: medium
- Equipment models: [{"manufacturer_domain":"firstsolar.com","product_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-6","count":500000,"unit_mw":null,"name":"First Solar Series 6 PV modules"},{"manufacturer_domain":"power-electronics.com","product_url":"https://power-electronics.com/en/solar","count":null,"unit_mw":null,"name":"Power Electronics solar inverters — model and count not disclosed"}] — Series 6 Family · confidence: medium
- Product family: First Solar Series 6 — Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK · confidence: high
- Product family: First Solar Series 6 — Series 6 Family · confidence: high
- Manufacturer name: First Solar — Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK · confidence: high
- Equipment models.0: {"manufacturer_domain":"firstsolar.com","product_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-6","count":500000,"unit_mw":null,"name":"First Solar Series 6 PV modules"} — Series 6 Family · confidence: high
- Financing summary: Publicly disclosed amounts primarily concern ownership transactions rather than project financing. USF completed its first 25% acquisition tranche on March 29, 2021 for $23 million; its contemporaneous materials provided for approximately $22 million for the further 25% tranche, which financially closed in June 2022. In August 2022, MN8 paid USF a non-refundable $1 million option fee and received an option to acquire USF's 50% interest for an additional $52.2 million excluding working capital; USF completed the sale on June 26, 2023. USF later reported approximately $4.5 million of the sale proceeds being used to repay its corporate revolving-credit facility, which was not project financing. — Source · confidence: medium
- Timeline: [{"event":"Predecessor acquisition","date":"2018-03","detail":"New Energy Solar acquired Mount Signal 2 from D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments."},{"event":"Construction start and EPC appointment","date":"2018-10-29","detail":"Swinerton Renewable Energy broke ground and served as EPC contractor on the 200 MWdc photovoltaic project; the planned equipment included NEXTracker single-axis trackers, Power Electronics inverters, and more than 460,000 modules."},{"event":"Construction","date":"2018-2019","detail":"US Solar Fund's project materials state that Mount Signal 2 was built during 2018 and 2019 by Swinerton Renewable Energy."},{"event":"First unit online","date":"2020-01-01","detail":"EIA-derived operating records identify generator IVS2 as a 153.5 MW solar-photovoltaic unit entering service on January 1, 2020."},{"event":"Power-purchase agreement commencement","date":"2020-06","detail":"A 20-year power-purchase agreement with Southern California Edison commenced; the project sells 100% of its generated electricity under the agreement."},{"event":"USF first acquisition tranche","date":"2021-03-29","detail":"US Solar Fund completed the acquisition of a 25% interest for $23 million and received an option to acquire a further 25%."},{"event":"USF corporate placing supporting portfolio activity","date":"2021-05","detail":"USF raised $132 million through a placing program; its report said proceeds were used partly to acquire the additional Mount Signal 2 interest and partly to refinance and reduce gearing on an existing portfolio. This was corporate or portfolio funding, not disclosed project-level construction financing."},{"event":"USF second acquisition tranche","date":"2022-02","detail":"USF exercised its option to acquire a further 25% interest; the second tranche financially closed in June 2022, bringing USF's ownership to 50% or approximately 100 MWdc of the project."},{"event":"Sale option granted to MN8","date":"2022-08","detail":"USF sold MN8 Energy an option over its 50% interest. The disclosed terms included a $1 million non-refundable option fee and an additional $52.2 million purchase price excluding working capital."},{"event":"MN8 option exercise and binding agreement","date":"2023-01","detail":"MN8 exercised the purchase option; USF subsequently signed a binding sale agreement in April 2023."},{"event":"Sale completion and change of ownership","date":"2023-06-26","detail":"USF completed the sale of its 50% interest in Mount Signal 2 to MN8 Energy. USF's project page states that the asset was sold to a subsidiary of MN8, which is identified in EIA-derived records as the operator."}] — Source · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.2: {"relationship":"Predecessor owner and former co-owner","name":"New Energy Solar Fund","detail":"Acquired the project from D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments in March 2018 and later sold a 25% interest to USF; its remaining interest was included in the broader transaction with MN8.","official_url":null} — Swinerton breaks ground on 200-MW Mount Signal 2 solar project · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.3: {"relationship":"Previous owner and development/asset-management participant","name":"D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments","detail":"Identified as Mount Signal 2's previous owner before New Energy Solar's March 2018 acquisition and as a provider of development and asset-management services during construction.","official_url":"https://desri.com/"} — Swinerton breaks ground on 200-MW Mount Signal 2 solar project · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.4: {"relationship":"Developer","name":"Avantus","detail":"Project-profile sources identify Avantus as one of the developers of Mount Signal Solar 2.","official_url":"https://www.avantus.com/"} — Mount Signal Solar Farm, California – Project Details... · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.5: {"relationship":"Developer","name":"Silver Ridge Power","detail":"Project-profile sources identify Silver Ridge Power as one of the developers of Mount Signal Solar 2; the CAISO participating-resource record also refers to Silver Ridge Mount Signal 2.","official_url":null} — Mount Signal Solar Farm, California – Project Details... · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.6: {"relationship":"EPC contractor and constructor","name":"Swinerton Renewable Energy","detail":"Served as EPC contractor and constructed the 200 MWdc project during 2018–2019.","official_url":"https://www.swinerton.com/"} — Swinerton breaks ground on 200-MW Mount Signal 2 solar project · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.7: {"relationship":"PV module supplier","name":"First Solar","detail":"USF identifies First Solar Series 6 modules as the project's photovoltaic module technology.","official_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/"} — Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.8: {"relationship":"Operations and maintenance provider","name":"First Solar Energy Services","detail":"Provides operations and maintenance services under a long-term contract, according to USF project materials.","official_url":"https://www.firstsolar.com/"} — Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.9: {"relationship":"Tracker supplier","name":"NEXTracker","detail":"Supplied the single-axis tracker system specified for the project during construction.","official_url":"https://www.nextracker.com/"} — Swinerton breaks ground on 200-MW Mount Signal 2 solar project · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.10: {"relationship":"Inverter supplier","name":"Power Electronics España","detail":"Supplied the inverters specified for the project during construction.","official_url":"https://www.power-electronics.com/"} — Swinerton breaks ground on 200-MW Mount Signal 2 solar project · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.11: {"relationship":"Power-purchase-agreement offtaker","name":"Southern California Edison","detail":"Holds the 20-year PPA that commenced in June 2020 and purchases 100% of the project's generated electricity.","official_url":"https://www.sce.com/"} — Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.12: {"relationship":"Registered utility/entity in FERC MBR records","name":"Imperial Valley Solar 2, LLC","detail":"Listed as the utility/entity associated with Mount Signal Solar Farm II in the FERC EIA plant record.","official_url":null} — Source · confidence: medium

## Timeline

- 2018-2019 — Construction
  US Solar Fund's project materials state that Mount Signal 2 was built during 2018 and 2019 by Swinerton Renewable Energy.
  Source: Source (https://www.ussolarfund.co.uk/sites/default/files/usf_interim_report_2022_04_vf.pdf)
- 2020-06 — Power-purchase agreement commencement
  A 20-year power-purchase agreement with Southern California Edison commenced; the project sells 100% of its generated electricity under the agreement.
  Source: Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK (https://www.ussolarfund.co.uk/portfolio/acquisition-six)
- 2021-03 — Ownership transaction
  US Solar Fund (USF) acquired a 25% interest in Mount Signal 2 from New Energy Solar Fund (NEW) in March 2021 and exercised an option to acquire a further 25% interest in February 2022.
  Source: Source (https://ussolarfund.co.uk/portfolio/acquisition-six)
- 2023-01 — MN8 option exercise and binding agreement
  MN8 exercised the purchase option; USF subsequently signed a binding sale agreement in April 2023.
  Source: Source (https://www.ussolarfund.co.uk/sites/default/files/45432_us_solar_fund_ar23_web.pdf)
- 2023-06 — Acquisition closed
  MN8 Energy completed acquisition of US Solar Fund's 50% interest in Mount Signal 2 for total proceeds of approximately $52.2 million on June 26, 2023.
  Source: Source (https://www.ussolarfund.co.uk/sites/default/files/45432_us_solar_fund_ar23_web.pdf)

## Sources

- [MN8 Energy | Independent Power Producer—Enterprise ...](https://mn8.com/) — mn8.com · tier other
- [Public Queue Report](https://www.caiso.com/documents/publicqueuereport.xlsx) — caiso.com · tier other
- [Resource category and phase](https://www.caiso.com/documents/resourcecategoryandphaseallparticipatingresourceids.xlsx) — caiso.com · tier other
- [EIA - MBR Portal - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission](https://mbrweb.ferc.gov/SearchlkpEIA/Index?page=696) — mbrweb.ferc.gov · tier regulatory
- [Acquisition Six | US Solar Fund UK](https://www.ussolarfund.co.uk/portfolio/acquisition-six) — ussolarfund.co.uk · tier other
- [Power plant profile: Mount Signal Solar PV Park - 2, US](https://www.power-technology.com/data-insights/power-plant-profile-mount-signal-solar-pv-park-2-us/) — power-technology.com · tier other
- [Swinerton Renewable Energy to Lead Construction of 200MWdc](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/10/29/1638243/0/en/swinerton-renewable-energy-to-lead-construction-of-200mwdc-mount-signal-2-solar.html) — globenewswire.com · tier other
- [Swinerton breaks ground on 200-MW Mount Signal 2 solar ...](https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2018/10/swinerton-breaks-ground-mount-signal-2/) — solarpowerworldonline.com · tier other
- [Series 6 Family](https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Products/Series-6) — firstsolar.com · tier other
- [Source](https://www.ussolarfund.co.uk/sites/default/files/usf_quarterly_q1_2021.pdf) — ussolarfund.co.uk · tier other
- [Source](https://www.ussolarfund.co.uk/sites/default/files/usf_interim_report_2022_04_vf.pdf) — ussolarfund.co.uk · tier other
- [Source](https://www.ussolarfund.co.uk/sites/default/files/45432_us_solar_fund_ar23_web.pdf) — ussolarfund.co.uk · tier other
- [Mount Signal Solar Farm, California – Project Details ...](https://www.blackridgeresearch.com/project-profiles/mount-signal-solar-pv-plant-in-california-usa-united-states?srsltid=AfmBOopc1ecJjfV2jLzIQzGHJWT0WwkiIabA2vqtPKvaKBAC_7OSy787) — blackridgeresearch.com · tier other
- [Source](https://ussolarfund.co.uk/portfolio/acquisition-six) — ussolarfund.co.uk · tier other
- [Announced Resource Retirement and Mothball List posted](https://www.caiso.com/notices/announced-resource-retirement-and-mothball-list-posted-4) — caiso.com · tier other

## Data quality

- Capacity figures use different bases: project and CAISO materials cite 200 MWdc, whereas EIA plant 61353 reports 153.5 MW nameplate capacity for one generating unit; these figures are not treated as separate assets. US Solar Fund's project page lists an operation date of December 2019, while the EIA-derived plant record identifies the first unit as online January 1, 2020; the EIA date is used for the plant's operating milestone. No project-level lender, debt amount, or tax-equity amount is disclosed in the cited exact-project records.

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Canonical page: https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/mount-signal-solar-farm-ii

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