SCH Number 2020020326

Project Info

Title

Rexford 2 Solar Farm Project

Description

The Tulare County Planning Commission certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse No. 2020020326) and approved Special Use Permit No. PSP 19-073 for the Rexford Solar Farm Project (herein referred as “previously approved Project” or “Rexford 1”) on August 26, 2020. Rexford 1 involved the construction and operation of an up to 700 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) facility, including an energy storage system (ESS) with up to 700 MW storage capacity, on-site substation, transmission and/or collector lines, and ancillary components on approximately 3,614 acres of land historically used as agricultural farmland in unincorporated Tulare County, California. Power generation by Rexford 1 would connect to the Southern California Edison (SCE) Vestal Substation. Construction of Rexford 1 is scheduled to commence in spring of 2022. The Project applicant is now requesting the expansion of the previously approved Rexford 1 Solar Farm Project. The proposed Rexford 2 Solar Farm Project (“Rexford 2” or “Project”) is the subsequent development phase of the Rexford 1 Project. The Rexford 2 Project site is located in close proximity to the Rexford 1 Project, with two parcels being immediately adjacent to the Rexford 1 Project. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Pub. Resources Code §21000 et seq.), the County of Tulare Resource Management Agency (RMA) will be preparing a Supplemental EIR to evaluate the environmental effects associated with the Rexford 2 Project. Rexford 2 would involve the construction and operation of an up to 500 megawatts-alternating current (MW-AC) solar PV facility, including an ESS with up to 500 MW-AC storage capacity on approximately 1,200 acres near the unincorporated community of Ducor. The proposed Project would include a ground mounted PV solar power generating system, supporting structures, inverter modules, pad mounted transformers, ESS, access roads and fencing, and on-site substation. An operations and maintenance building may be constructed on the site. The proposed Project would involve the construction of both transmission and collector lines. Power generated by the proposed Project would be transmitted to the Southern California Edison (SCE) Vestal Substation via an up to 230 kilovolt (kV) overhead and/or underground gen-tie line. The proposed transmission and/or collector lines would extend along existing roadway rights-of-way from various portions of the Project site (where substations are located) ultimately connecting to the SCE Vestal Substation. The transmission and/or collector lines will be located along portions of Road 192, Road 200, Road 208, Road 232, 24th Avenue, Avenue 42, Avenue 46, Avenue 56, Avenue 64, Avenue 68, and Avenue 72, or could possibly utilize additional nearby routings.

6 documents in project