# Sentinel Energy Center, LLC

CAISO Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine · https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/sentinel-energy-center-llc

Sentinel Energy Center, LLC is a natural gas-fired power facility with 800 MW of EIA-reported operating capacity and 34.36 MWh of reported energy capacity in Riverside County, California, registered as EIA Plant ID 57482. Sentinel Energy Center LLC is the registered plant entity or operator. Diamond Generating Corporation describes Sentinel as the largest plant of its kind in the world, using eight GE LMS100 aeroderivative combustion turbines. Commercial operation began on May 1, 2013.

## Key facts

- Technology: Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine
- Power capacity: 800 MW
- Energy capacity: 34.36 MWh
- Operating status: operating

## Grid and market context

- ISO/RTO: CAISO
- Balancing authority: CISO / CAISO

## Source-backed facts

- Identifiers: [{"value":"57482","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"CISO","system":"EIA balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO and power market"},{"value":"CTG1; CTG2; CTG3; CTG4; CTG5; CTG6; CTG7; CTG8","system":"FERC/EIA generator IDs"},{"value":"SENTNL_2_CTG1; SENTNL_2_CTG2; SENTNL_2_CTG3; SENTNL_2_CTG4; SENTNL_2_CTG5; SENTNL_2_CTG6; SENTNL_2_CTG7; SENTNL_2_CTG8","system":"CAISO participating resource IDs"},{"value":"16 — SENTINEL (FKA INTERGEN OCOTILLO)","system":"CAISO interconnection queue"},{"value":"07-AFC-03","system":"California Energy Commission docket"},{"value":"07-AFC-03C","system":"California Energy Commission compliance/amendment docket"},{"value":"ER12-911-000","system":"FERC market-based-rate docket"},{"value":"ER24-2813","system":"FERC/CAISO Sentinel Black Start docket"}] — Curtailed and Non-Operational Generator AM Report Nov 27, 2019 · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"57482","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"CISO","system":"EIA balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO and power market"},{"value":"CTG1; CTG2; CTG3; CTG4; CTG5; CTG6; CTG7; CTG8","system":"FERC/EIA generator IDs"},{"value":"SENTNL_2_CTG1; SENTNL_2_CTG2; SENTNL_2_CTG3; SENTNL_2_CTG4; SENTNL_2_CTG5; SENTNL_2_CTG6; SENTNL_2_CTG7; SENTNL_2_CTG8","system":"CAISO participating resource IDs"},{"value":"16 — SENTINEL (FKA INTERGEN OCOTILLO)","system":"CAISO interconnection queue"},{"value":"07-AFC-03","system":"California Energy Commission docket"},{"value":"07-AFC-03C","system":"California Energy Commission compliance/amendment docket"},{"value":"ER12-911-000","system":"FERC market-based-rate docket"},{"value":"ER24-2813","system":"FERC/CAISO Sentinel Black Start docket"}] — Public Queue Report · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"57482","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"CISO","system":"EIA balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO and power market"},{"value":"CTG1; CTG2; CTG3; CTG4; CTG5; CTG6; CTG7; CTG8","system":"FERC/EIA generator IDs"},{"value":"SENTNL_2_CTG1; SENTNL_2_CTG2; SENTNL_2_CTG3; SENTNL_2_CTG4; SENTNL_2_CTG5; SENTNL_2_CTG6; SENTNL_2_CTG7; SENTNL_2_CTG8","system":"CAISO participating resource IDs"},{"value":"16 — SENTINEL (FKA INTERGEN OCOTILLO)","system":"CAISO interconnection queue"},{"value":"07-AFC-03","system":"California Energy Commission docket"},{"value":"07-AFC-03C","system":"California Energy Commission compliance/amendment docket"},{"value":"ER12-911-000","system":"FERC market-based-rate docket"},{"value":"ER24-2813","system":"FERC/CAISO Sentinel Black Start docket"}] — California Energy Commission : Docket Log · confidence: medium
- Owner name: Sentinel Energy Center, LLC — Source · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.4: {"value":"SENTNL_2_CTG1; SENTNL_2_CTG2; SENTNL_2_CTG3; SENTNL_2_CTG4; SENTNL_2_CTG5; SENTNL_2_CTG6; SENTNL_2_CTG7; SENTNL_2_CTG8","system":"CAISO participating resource IDs"} — Curtailed and Non-Operational Generator AM Report Nov 27, 2019 · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.5: {"value":"16 — SENTINEL (FKA INTERGEN OCOTILLO)","system":"CAISO interconnection queue"} — Public Queue Report · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.7: {"value":"07-AFC-03C","system":"California Energy Commission compliance/amendment docket"} — California Energy Commission : Docket Log · confidence: high
- Identifiers.9: {"value":"ER24-2813","system":"FERC/CAISO Sentinel Black Start docket"} — Library | FERC Orders - 2024 · confidence: medium
- Parties.4: {"relationship":"Engineering, procurement, and construction contractor","name":"Gemma Power Systems","official_url":null} — CPV Sentinel Energy Project, Desert Hot Springs, California · confidence: medium
- Parties.5: {"relationship":"Combustion-turbine OEM","name":"GE Vernova","official_url":"https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/resources/case-studies/cpv-sentinel-energy-project"} — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high
- Parties.8: {"relationship":"Power purchaser under PPA","name":"Southern California Edison Company","official_url":"https://www.sce.com"} — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high
- Parties.9: {"relationship":"Market and transmission-system operator","name":"California Independent System Operator","official_url":"https://www.caiso.com"} — Source · confidence: high
- Parties.10: {"relationship":"BESS lead design firm and general contractor","name":"Burns & McDonnell","official_url":"https://www.burnsmcd.com"} — Sentinel Energy Center Battery Energy Storage System... · confidence: high
- Parties.11: {"relationship":"BESS self-perform construction contractor","name":"AZCO","official_url":"https://www.azco-inc.com"} — Source · confidence: high
- Unit configuration: Eight General Electric LMS100 natural-gas-fired simple-cycle combustion turbine generators; the facility also has an approved 17.18 MW / 34.36 MWh LFP black-start battery system. — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high
- Commercial operation date: 2013-08-01 — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high
- Duration hours: 2 — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: medium
- Power mw: 850 — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: medium
- Unit count: 8 — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high
- Energy mwh: 34.36 — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: medium
- Construction scope: The Sentinel Energy Center BESS adds 17.18 MW/34.36 MWh of LFP black-start capability inside the existing plant, with control-system and electrical-distribution modifications, associated transformers, switchgear, underground utilities, and approximately 3,100 square feet of BESS/switchgear foundations. The system comprises five SMA PCS units and ten BYD MC Cube 8+1 outdoor battery systems arranged in five BESS blocks; each block has one PCS connected to two battery systems, with 16 cabinets and two DC junction boxes per block. The original generation plant has eight GE Vernova LMS100 gas turbines. — Source · confidence: high
- Construction scope: The Sentinel Energy Center BESS adds 17.18 MW/34.36 MWh of LFP black-start capability inside the existing plant, with control-system and electrical-distribution modifications, associated transformers, switchgear, underground utilities, and approximately 3,100 square feet of BESS/switchgear foundations. The system comprises five SMA PCS units and ten BYD MC Cube 8+1 outdoor battery systems arranged in five BESS blocks; each block has one PCS connected to two battery systems, with 16 cabinets and two DC junction boxes per block. The original generation plant has eight GE Vernova LMS100 gas turbines. — Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) With Black Start | Projects · confidence: high
- Product url: https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/products/gas-turbines/lms100 — LMS100 Aeroderivative Gas Turbine | GE Vernova · confidence: high
- Kind: thermal — Source · confidence: medium
- Quality notes: ["Capacity is reported differently by source: EIA records 800 MW, while the California Energy Commission and Diamond Generating report nominally 850 MW; FERC attributes the difference to a 50-MW capital upgrade made in 2021.","Commercial-operation dating is inconsistent across records: CPV/project-finance materials report May 1 or mid-May 2013, while the California Energy Commission project page records August 1, 2013.","The May 2011 financing amount is project financing, not sale consideration. generation records show the facility operating through early 2026."] — Voltage Finance buys 25% of California power plant · confidence: medium
- Quality notes: ["Capacity is reported differently by source: EIA records 800 MW, while the California Energy Commission and Diamond Generating report nominally 850 MW; FERC attributes the difference to a 50-MW capital upgrade made in 2021.","Commercial-operation dating is inconsistent across records: CPV/project-finance materials report May 1 or mid-May 2013, while the California Energy Commission project page records August 1, 2013.","The May 2011 financing amount is project financing, not sale consideration. generation records show the facility operating through early 2026."] — Kirkland Counsels Partners Group on Sale of Stake in Sentinel Energy Center | News | Kirkland & Ellis LLP · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.4: {"relationship":"Original 25% equity investor and project-financing participant","name":"GE Energy Financial Services","detail":"GE Energy Financial Services was an original 25% owner and participated in development and financing; its interest was sold to Voltage Finance in October 2013.","official_url":"https://www.ge.com"} — California's Newest Power Plant Goes Online Three Months Early, in Time for Summer Heat | GE News · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.6: {"relationship":"25% co-control investor from 2015 to 2022","name":"Partners Group","detail":"Partners Group acquired a 25% stake from CPV in November 2015 and sold its co-control stake to the CAI/Meridian investment partnership in August 2022.","official_url":"https://www.partnersgroup.com"} — Kirkland Counsels Partners Group on Sale of Stake in Sentinel Energy Center | News | Kirkland & Ellis LLP · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.8: {"relationship":"Co-investor and strategic partner","name":"Meridian Clean Energy","detail":"Meridian partnered with CAI in the August 2022 acquisition of a 25% Sentinel interest from Partners Group.","official_url":null} — Climate Adaptive Infrastructure and Meridian Clean Energy Announce Strategic Partnership · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.10: {"relationship":"Combustion-turbine OEM","name":"GE Vernova","detail":"The eight LMS100 aeroderivative combustion turbines at Sentinel were supplied by GE; GE Vernova identifies the LMS100 technology as central to the project.","official_url":"https://www.gevernova.com"} — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.11: {"relationship":"Power purchaser","name":"Southern California Edison Company","detail":"SCE has a long-term power purchase agreement covering five of the units, according to the California Energy Commission.","official_url":"https://www.sce.com"} — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.12: {"relationship":"Market and transmission-system operator","name":"California Independent System Operator","detail":"CAISO operates the market and transmission system into which Sentinel supplies quick-start capacity, energy, and ancillary services in the Los Angeles Basin area.","official_url":"https://www.caiso.com"} — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.13: {"relationship":"BESS EPC contractor","name":"Burns & McDonnell","detail":"Burns & McDonnell served as engineer-procure-construct contractor for the battery energy storage system and black-start project.","official_url":"https://www.burnsmcd.com"} — Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) With Black Start | Projects · confidence: high
- Quality notes.1: Commercial-operation dating is inconsistent across records: CPV/project-finance materials report May 1 or mid-May 2013, while the California Energy Commission project page records August 1, 2013. — T V CPV E C · confidence: high
- Quality notes.2: The May 2011 financing amount is project financing, not sale consideration. — Voltage Finance buys 25% of California power plant · confidence: medium
- Quality notes.2: The May 2011 financing amount is project financing, not sale consideration. — Kirkland Counsels Partners Group on Sale of Stake in Sentinel Energy Center | News | Kirkland & Ellis LLP · confidence: medium
- Timeline.3: {"event":"Commercial operation reported by project records","date":"2013-05-01","detail":"CPV/project-finance records report that the 800-MW Sentinel project achieved commercial operation on May 1, 2013, ahead of schedule; GE announced grid operations in May 2013."} — T V CPV E C · confidence: medium
- Timeline.9: {"event":"Sale of Partners Group stake to CAI and Meridian","date":"2022-08","detail":"Climate Adaptive Infrastructure and Meridian Clean Energy acquired a 25% interest in Sentinel from Partners Group. Kirkland & Ellis described the transferred interest as Partners Group's co-control stake; consideration was undisclosed."} — Kirkland Counsels Partners Group on Sale of Stake in Sentinel Energy Center | News | Kirkland & Ellis LLP · confidence: high
- Timeline.9: {"event":"Sale of Partners Group stake to CAI and Meridian","date":"2022-08","detail":"Climate Adaptive Infrastructure and Meridian Clean Energy acquired a 25% interest in Sentinel from Partners Group. Kirkland & Ellis described the transferred interest as Partners Group's co-control stake; consideration was undisclosed."} — Climate Adaptive Infrastructure and Meridian Clean Energy Announce Strategic Partnership · confidence: high
- Timeline.10: {"event":"CEC approval of black-start BESS","date":"2024-01-25","detail":"The California Energy Commission approved installation of a 17.18-MW/34.36-MWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery system to provide auxiliary power for black-starting equipment and combustion turbines."} — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high
- Timeline.10: {"event":"CEC approval of black-start BESS","date":"2024-01-25","detail":"The California Energy Commission approved installation of a 17.18-MW/34.36-MWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery system to provide auxiliary power for black-starting equipment and combustion turbines."} — Source · confidence: high
- Grid role: Quick-start simple-cycle peaking generation providing capacity, energy, and ancillary services in CAISO’s Los Angeles Basin Local Capacity Requirement area, with battery-backed black-start capability. — Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high

## Timeline

- 2010-12-01 — CEC certification
  The California Energy Commission certified the Sentinel Energy Center project.
  Source: Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission (https://www.energy.ca.gov/powerplant/simple-cycle/sentinel-energy-center)
- 2013-05-01 — Commercial operation reported by project records
  CPV/project-finance records report that the 800-MW Sentinel project achieved commercial operation on May 1, 2013, ahead of schedule; GE announced grid operations in May 2013.
  Source: T V CPV E C (https://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/Common/ViewDoc.aspx?DocRefId=%7B5C5EA872-C6FE-49F0-B4D7-60FA755216DE%7D)
- 2013-08-01 — CEC commercial-operation record
  The California Energy Commission project page records August 1, 2013 as the commercial-operation date.
  Source: Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission (https://www.energy.ca.gov/powerplant/simple-cycle/sentinel-energy-center)
- 2022-06-06 — Black-start petition
  Sentinel Energy Center, LLC filed a California Energy Commission petition to add battery-supported black-start capability and increase turbine start flexibility.
  Source: Source (https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=253267&DocumentContentId=88471)

## Sources

- [Sentinel Energy Center | DGLLC](https://www.dgllc-us.com/projects/sentinel-energy-center) — dgllc-us.com · tier other
- [Curtailed and Non-Operational Generator AM Report Nov 27, 2019](https://www.caiso.com/documents/curtailed-non-operational-generator-am-report-20191127.html) — caiso.com · tier other
- [Public Queue Report](https://www.caiso.com/documents/publicqueuereport.xlsx) — caiso.com · tier other
- [Sentinel Energy Center | California Energy Commission](https://www.energy.ca.gov/powerplant/simple-cycle/sentinel-energy-center) — energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [California Energy Commission : Docket Log](https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/Lists/DocketLog.aspx?docketnumber=07-AFC-03C) — efiling.energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [Source](https://www.enr.com/articles/61725-best-energy-industrial-sentinel-energy-center-battery-energy-storage-system-with-black-start) — enr.com · tier other
- [CPV Sentinel Energy Project, Desert Hot Springs, California](https://www.powermag.com/cpv-sentinel-energy-project-desert-hot-springs-california/) — powermag.com · tier other
- [Powering the CPV Sentinel Power Project | GE Vernova](https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/resources/case-studies/cpv-sentinel-energy-project) — gevernova.com · tier other
- [Library | FERC Orders - 2024](https://www.caiso.com/library/ferc-orders-2024) — caiso.com · tier other
- [Source](https://www.caiso.com/documents/labasinblackstartserviceproviderselectionreport.pdf) — caiso.com · tier other
- [Source](https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=253267&DocumentContentId=88471) — efiling.energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) With Black Start | Projects](https://www.burnsmcd.com/projects/battery-energy-storage-system-bess-with-black-start) — burnsmcd.com · tier other
- [LMS100 Aeroderivative Gas Turbine | GE Vernova](https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/products/gas-turbines/lms100) — gevernova.com · tier other
- [Voltage Finance buys 25% of California power plant](https://www.infrastructureinvestor.com/voltage-finance-buys-25-of-california-power-plant/) — infrastructureinvestor.com · tier other
- [Kirkland Counsels Partners Group on Sale of Stake in Sentinel Energy Center | News | Kirkland & Ellis LLP](https://www.kirkland.com/news/press-release/2022/08/kirkland-counsels-partners-group-on-sale-of-stake-in-sentinel-energy-center) — kirkland.com · tier other
- [CPV, GE, DGC Secure Largest US Thermal Power Project Financing in 2011 for 800-Megawatt CPV Sentinel Facility in Riverside County, Calif. | GE News](https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/cpv-ge-dgc-secure-largest-us-thermal-power-project-financing-2011-800-megawatt-cpv) — ge.com · tier other
- [T V CPV E C](https://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/Common/ViewDoc.aspx?DocRefId=%7B5C5EA872-C6FE-49F0-B4D7-60FA755216DE%7D) — documents.dps.ny.gov · tier regulatory
- [Climate Adaptive Infrastructure and Meridian Clean Energy Announce Strategic Partnership](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220802005432/en/Climate-Adaptive-Infrastructure-and-Meridian-Clean-Energy-Announce-Strategic-Partnership) — businesswire.com · tier other
- [California's Newest Power Plant Goes Online Three Months Early, in Time for Summer Heat | GE News](https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/californias-newest-power-plant-goes-online-three-months-early-time-summer-heat) — ge.com · tier other
- [Source](https://www.caiso.com/documents/regulatory-report-oct-2024.pdf) — caiso.com · tier other

## Data quality

- Commercial-operation dating is inconsistent across records: CPV/project-finance materials report May 1 or mid-May 2013, while the California Energy Commission project page records August 1, 2013. No retirement or repowering milestone is disclosed in the cited owner, regulatory, and operating records; generation records show the facility operating through early 2026.

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Canonical page: https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/sentinel-energy-center-llc

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