Avantus brings Aratina 1 solar-plus-storage online in California. Tuesday, July 21, 2026 Renewable energy developer Avantus said its Aratina 1 solar-plus-storage project has entered commercial operation in California. The 200-MW/500-MWh installation in Kern County has long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) and Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), a pair of community choice aggregators. Avantus on July 20 said the company will have a controlling stake in Aratina 1 and will operate the facility. The company said the project is among several assets it will oversee as it expands from a clean energy developer to an independent power producer (IPP). "Aratina 1 coming online marks a major milestone for Avantus as an independent power producer, providing reliable clean power to California communities for decades to come," said Cliff Graham, CEO of Avantus. "I'm incredibly proud of what Team Avantus built here. Their expertise across development, construction, financing and operations, and the trust our financing and CCA partners have placed in us, are the foundation we're building our long-term IPP model on." "The Aratina project is a powerful example of how community choice energy turns climate goals into real projects on the ground," said Robert Shaw, CEO of 3CE. "Our long-term commitment to 120 MW from this facility will deliver clean, affordable power to our customers while supporting California's transition away from fossil fuels. We're grateful to partner with Avantus on a project that strengthens grid reliability and invests in the Central Coast's clean energy future." Financing package. Avantus said a consortium of lenders, including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., Truist Securities, ING Capital, and Mizuho, provided financing of more than $500 million for Aratina 1. The project also secured a $300-million tax equity commitment from Truist Bank. Officials said the project created about 500 jobs at peak construction. "The clean power generated from the Aratina project gets us one step closer to our climate goals. New projects like this are critical in increasing statewide clean capacity and reliability as we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and move towards an all-electric future," said Monica Padilla, CEO of SVCE. Avantus on Monday said that Aratina 2, the second phase of the Aratina Solar Center, located adjacent to Aratina 1, is currently under construction. Aratina 2 recently closed more than $525 million in financing and is targeting commercial operation before year-end. The Aratina Solar Center when complete will represent a combined 350 MW of solar and 952 MWh of energy storage. Avantus develops, owns, and operates utility-scale clean energy projects across California and the Desert Southwest. The company is backed by strategic investment from KKR and EIG. The company earlier this year closed a financing package of more than $300 million for a project in Arizona. Avantus and Clean Power Alliance, another community choice aggregator, earlier in July announced a 20-year PPA for the Rexford 2 solar-plus-storage project in Tulare County, California. The companies said the deal is for 200 MW of solar power generation paired with a 200-MW/800-MWh battery energy storage system. Construction of Rexford 2 is expected to begin near year, with the facility coming online in 2028. - Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER. Tagged in:

Avantus launches 200 MW solar, 500 MWh storage. Jul 21, 2026 09:23 AM ET * Avantus' Aratina 1 in Kern County is now live: 200 MW solar plus 500 MWh storage feeds California's grid, boosting reliability and peak power while supporting clean-energy goals. Avantus said its Aratina 1 hybrid renewable energy project in Kern County, California has reached commercial operation. The facility combines 200 MW of solar generation with 500 MWh of battery storage, which began feeding power into the local grid. Avantus said the pairing of photovoltaic output with large-scale storage is designed to improve grid reliability and deliver electricity during peak-demand periods. The company cited California's broader push to expand utility-scale solar and storage to cut greenhouse-gas emissions and increase carbon-free power. Aratina 1 also strengthens Avantus' position as an independent power producer and adds to its Western U.S. portfolio. What does Avantus' Aratina 1 commercial operation mean for grid reliability and peak power? * Commercial operation means Aratina 1 is now fully dispatchable and available to provide power to the California grid under contracted terms, rather than operating only in a limited pilot or testing phase. * The 200 MW solar component can add generation during daylight hours, reducing reliance on more carbon-intensive or slower-to-ramp generation at the system level. * The 500 MWh battery component enables shifting solar energy forward in time, smoothing supply when sunlight drops and helping maintain steadier local voltage and frequency support. * By pairing solar with utility-scale storage, the project can reduce "net-load" variability that can otherwise complicate balancing for grid operators, improving reliability during periods of rapid changes in demand or solar output. * During peak-demand periods - such as evening ramps when temperatures are high and solar generation declines - the battery can discharge to help meet load, lowering the risk of capacity shortfalls. * Reliable peak support can reduce the need for emergency procurement or fast-start generation, which often has higher operating costs and emissions, especially during tight reserve conditions. * More storage online increases the grid's effective capacity margin by adding energy that can be delivered when other resources are limited, strengthening resilience during heat waves and other stress events. * Commercial operation also expands the number of accredited resources that grid operators can plan around for capacity and resource adequacy, improving forecast confidence for peak planning. * For local reliability in Kern County, the project can provide near-term support to the distribution/transmission interface by supplying dispatchable power close to where demand occurs. * From an operational standpoint, the project's ability to recharge and then discharge on command improves short-term system flexibility - useful when other renewables experience sudden output changes.

Avantus' Aratina 1 project officially online, generating enough clean, reliable energy to power 105,000 California homes. Jul 20, 2026 Commercial operations milestone advances independent power producer strategy. SAN DIEGO, Calif. - July 20, 2026 - Avantus announced that the Aratina 1 project in Kern County, California has achieved commercial operations and is now delivering 200 megawatts (MW) of solar and 500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy storage to the California grid. Avantus plans to maintain a controlling stake in Aratina 1 and operate the project, the first of several assets as Avantus expands from developer to independent power producer (IPP). The project has long-term power purchase agreements with two community choice aggregators (CCAs) - Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) and Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) - for the full output of the project, enough to power more than 105,000 California homes annually. "Aratina 1 coming online marks a major milestone for Avantus as an independent power producer, providing reliable clean power to California communities for decades to come," said Cliff Graham, CEO of Avantus. "I'm incredibly proud of what Team Avantus built here. Their expertise across development, construction, financing and operations, and the trust our financing and CCA partners have placed in us, are the foundation we're building our long-term IPP model on." "The Aratina project is a powerful example of how community choice energy turns climate goals into real projects on the ground. Our long term commitment to 120 MW from this facility will deliver clean, affordable power to our customers while supporting California's transition away from fossil fuels," said Robert Shaw, CEO of Central Coast Community Energy. "We're grateful to partner with Avantus on a project that strengthens grid reliability and invests in the Central Coast's clean energy future." "The clean power generated from the Aratina project gets us one step closer to our climate goals. New projects like this are critical in increasing state-wide clean capacity and reliability as we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and move towards an all-electric future," said Monica Padilla, CEO of Silicon Valley Clean Energy. Financing of more than $500 million for Aratina 1 was provided by a consortium of four lenders led by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Truist Securities, ING Capital, and Mizuho. The project also secured a $300 million tax equity commitment from Truist Bank. The project created approximately 500 jobs at peak construction and will create local operations roles throughout its operating life. Avantus is committed to long-term ownership and community partnerships. Early this year, Avantus launched the Boron Community Partnership Panel, a community-led group of local organizations and residents. The panel provides an ongoing forum for dialogue with the local community and helps guide the project's local investments, with a focus on community-building opportunities that support youth, education, civic, and cultural initiatives. Aratina 2, the second phase of the Aratina Solar Center, located adjacent to Aratina 1, is currently under construction. Aratina 2 recently closed more than $525 million in financing and is targeting commercial operations before the end of the year. Once complete, the Aratina Solar Center will represent a combined 350 MW of solar and 952 MWh of energy storage, helping California meet growing energy demand with reliable, dispatchable power. About Avantus Avantus develops, owns and operates utility-scale clean energy projects across California and the Desert Southwest. Its development pipeline of solar with integrated storage will generate enough dispatchable power to serve more than 10 million Americans, day and night. Backed by strategic investment from KKR and EIG and building on more than a decade of industry leadership, Avantus is growing its position as an independent power producer, delivering affordable, reliable clean energy solutions to meet America's growing energy demand. For more information, please visit www.avantus.com, and follow Avantus on LinkedIn. MEDIA CONTACT Katie Struble Sr. Vice President, Corporate Communications Avantus [email protected]