ALAMEDA, CA (September 15, 2022) BEI Construction, Inc. (BEI), a leading renewable energy and energy storage contractor, announced today that it is nearing completion of the new energy storage facility located in Porterville and topped out at the Rancho Cucamonga facility – both of which are parts of one of the largest energy storage projects in California to date.
BEI is concurrently building utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) at three distinct distribution-level substation parcels located in Porterville, Rancho Cucamonga, and Long Beach, Calif. Notably and when complete, the new energy storage projects will tie-in to the existing substations at all three locations.
The new substations will maximize reliability of the grid by charging during periods of excess generation and discharge during periods of need. Collectively and when complete, the three-site project will add a total of 537.5 MW/ 2.15 GWh to the grid, enough stored energy to power roughly 537,500 homes in Southern California for four hours.
On behalf of Southern California Edison (SCE), BEI was contracted by Ameresco and began construction on the three separate sites in April 2022. The BEI utility-scale energy storage project includes the construction of new substations, electrical, civil, all site work and foundations for the battery packs, grid integration, as well as start-up and commissioning.
BEI is signatory to IBEW Locals 11, 100, 47, and 477, and employs union labor on all jobs. Dominic DiMare, Principal at BEI said, “Our partners are an essential part of our success. They recognize the significance of this project for the state and have consistently stepped up to the plate to achieve this shared milestone .”
The development of these three locations is in part a result of Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation to accelerate the rapid deployment of new clean energy and storage projects, coupled with the state mandate that requires all electricity to be generated 100% by renewable energy by 2045. The recent Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), coupled with last year’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act help make California’s clean energy goals more of a reality. Jerry Zampino, BEI General Manager of Energy Storage said, “BEI is playing its part as the GC of this substantial stored energy project, as well as the electrical contractor at Westlands Solar Park in Lemoore, one of the largest solar farms in the United States.”
To assist SCE compliance with state mandates to improve grid reliability during extreme weather events, as well as combat the global supply chain issues, BEI is simultaneously constructing all three sites.
Mr. DiMare said, “This energy storage project highlights the necessity to improve grid reliability. I’m proud of our team for living up to the reputation BEI has built for innovation and building state-of-the-art clean energy technology. Together with SCE and Ameresco, we’re building to affect positive change.”
The three-site energy storage project is on schedule to complete by the end of 2022.
