How big is Solar Star 1?

Solar Star 1 has a reported capacity of 318 MW. Source: EIA Form 860.

What kind of plant is Solar Star 1?

Solar Star 1 is a Solar Photovoltaic facility in Kern County, CA, participating in the CAISO market.

Where is Solar Star 1 located?

Solar Star 1 is in Kern County, CA, inside the CAISO balancing area.

Who operates Solar Star 1?

Solar Star 1 is operated by Solar Star California XIX, LLC according to the EIA generator inventory. Reporting membership does not by itself establish ultimate ownership.

How much electricity does Solar Star 1 generate?

Solar Star 1 reported 887.9 GWh over the twelve months to 2026-04. Figures are net generation as filed to EIA-923.

Where does Solar Star 1 connect to the grid?

Solar Star 1 interconnects at Whirlwind Substation, on the Southern California Edison Company (SCE) system.

How does Solar Star 1 compare to other plants?

By capacity, Solar Star 1 ranks #31 of 7,234 operating plants of the same technology nationally. It ranks #3 of 939 in CA.

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Solar PhotovoltaicCAISO · Kern County

Solar Star 1

Kern County · CAISO

Solar Star 1 is a solar power facility with 318 MW of EIA-reported nameplate capacity in Kern County, California, registered as EIA Plant ID 58388. Solar Star 1 is part of the Solar Star 1 and 2 development, which BHE Renewables says represented the largest solar project in the world when constructed.

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Overview

Key fields

Reported capacity: 318 MW
EIA-reported nameplate capacity; other nameplate and seasonal ratings may differ.
Technology: Solar Photovoltaic
Primary generation technology.
Registry anchor: Plant 58388
Kern County · CAISO
Operating status: Operating

Asset analyst

plant:plant-58388

Ask about Solar Star 1

Investigate technology, capacity, output, price behavior, ownership, and related facilities using this profile plus current grid data.

Units and generators

Operating generator records and technology attributes reported through EIA-860.

Generator	Capacity	Technology	Operation	Status
AVS1	39 MW 38 MW summer	Solar Photovoltaic Solar · PV	Mar 2014	Operating
SS11	54 MW 52.6 MW summer	Solar Photovoltaic Solar · PV	Jun 2015	Operating
SS12	54 MW 52.6 MW summer	Solar Photovoltaic Solar · PV	Feb 2015	Operating
SS13	58.5 MW 57 MW summer	Solar Photovoltaic Solar · PV	Oct 2014	Operating
SS14	33 MW 32.2 MW summer	Solar Photovoltaic Solar · PV	Jun 2015	Operating
SS15	15 MW 14.6 MW summer	Solar Photovoltaic Solar · PV	Oct 2014	Operating
SS16	64.5 MW 62.9 MW summer	Solar Photovoltaic Solar · PV	Apr 2014	Operating

Commercial, land, and environmental record

Source-backed project transactions, agreements, land records, permits, and environmental disclosures. Portfolio and adjacent-project facts remain explicitly scoped.

Financing

Project Debt Issuance

Jun 27, 2013

Solar Star Funding, LLC indenture for 5.375% Series A senior secured notes due 2035. The collateral and project definitions expressly include the SS1 Facility (Solar Star 1) owned by Solar Star California XIX, LLC. The financing structure also includes the separate SS2 project. No portion of the note principal is allocated specifically to Solar Star 1 in the cited record.

318 MW contracted22 yearsSolar Star Funding, LLC · Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

Source

Transactions and agreements

EPC Contract

Dec 28, 2012

Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contract between SunPower Corporation Systems and Solar Star California XIX, LLC for the SS1 Facility. The facility is defined as approximately 308.97 MW at the delivery point and approximately 318 MW nameplate capacity. No EPC contract price was disclosed.

318 MW contractedSunPower Corporation Systems · Solar Star California XIX, LLC

Source

Land and environmental record

CEQA Environmental Compliance

Oct 19, 2011

Los Angeles County adopted the EIR addendum and mitigation-monitoring approval on October 19, 2011; Kern County certified the underlying EIR on August 2, 2011.

Los Angeles County records state that Kern County was the lead agency, certified the EIR on August 2, 2011, and that Los Angeles County adopted the addendum, CEQA findings, statement of overriding considerations, and mitigation-monitoring plan on October 19, 2011.

Source

Cooling And Operational Water

Mar 22, 2019

The project uses photovoltaic generation with automatic panel cleaning using minimal water; no cooling-tower or once-through cooling system was identified.

The project is an AC solar photovoltaic facility. Operating description states that panels are cleaned automatically using minimal water. No cooling-water quantity, cooling permit, cooling tower, or once-through system appears in the located records.

A Look Into America's Largest Solar Farm

Environmental And Operational Compliance Milestone

Nov 4, 2021

A CPUC power-plant audit conducted July 19–23, 2021 identified violations of California General Order 167-B and required a corrective-action plan by December 6, 2021.

The CPUC audit letter addresses Solar Star 1 and 2, states that staff observed operations and identified violations of GO 167-B, and requires Solar Star to report corrective measures and completion dates.

Source

Land Area—Scoped To Combined Solar Star 1 And 2 Footprint

Jul 21, 2026

Approximately 3,200 acres of private land in southeast Kern County and northern Los Angeles County.

The 2026 BHE Renewables project description separately identifies Solar Star 1 and Solar Star 2 but reports their combined footprint as approximately 3,200 acres. The Los Angeles County 2013 resolution mentions approximately 4,782 acres total project site with 3,544 acres in Kern County, but does not isolate SS1 acreage.

Research Update: Solar Star Funding LLC 'BBB' Deb | S&P Global Ratings

Water Supply

Oct 10, 2012

A Water Supply Agreement was based on an Option Agreement dated October 10, 2012, between Homer LLC and Solar Star California XIX, LLC.

The SS1 EPC Contract identifies the Water Supply Agreement and its underlying October 10, 2012 option agreement with Homer LLC. No water volume or source yield is stated in the available excerpt.

Source

Overview

Key fields

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Infrastructure record

Profile

Structured profile

Units and generators

Performance

Peer context

Monthly generation

Grid and market context

Nearby substations

Commercial, land, and environmental record

Financing

Transactions and agreements

Land and environmental record

Related parties and identifiers

Relationship graph

Parties and identifiers

Reporting portfolio

Timeline and sources

Project timeline

Sources

Common questions about Solar Star 1

How big is Solar Star 1?

What kind of plant is Solar Star 1?

Where is Solar Star 1 located?

Who operates Solar Star 1?

How much electricity does Solar Star 1 generate?

Where does Solar Star 1 connect to the grid?

How does Solar Star 1 compare to other plants?

Co-located assets

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