Vikings Energy Farm breaks ground

HOLTVLLE – Arevon Energy Inc. broke ground on the Vikings Energy Farm, a one of a kind solar-plus-storage power plant just outside of Holtville on Thursday, February 23.

In a press release issued on the day of the groundbreaking ceremony, Arevon Energy touted the Vikings Energy Farm as being among the first “solar peaker” plants in the United States.

During the ceremony, Arevon Vice President of Development Aron Branam said the facility’s unique 137 megawatts of solar production, coupled with 150 megawatts/600 megawatt hours of battery energy storage, will allow it to shift daytime solar production to late afternoon and evening hours, providing on-peak energy whenever necessary.

“This unique design will allow the facility to provide energy whenever it’s needed, helping to stabilize the grid and provide on demand power,” Branam said.

The energy produced by Vikings Energy Farm will be used to provide resource adequacy and renewable energy to San Diego Community Power, helping to meet peak summer demand and support grid reliability, according to the press release.

Byron Vosburg, Managing Director of San Diego Community Power, Ryan Kelley, Chair of the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, and Guillermo Hernandez, Field Representative for Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia of the 36th California Assembly District, also spoke during the ceremony.

Arevon’s commitments to partnerships did not end there, with Branam announcing Vikings Energy Farm will have an annual scholarship awarded to Holtville High School students pursuing higher education, a sponsorship of the 2023 Holtville Carrot Festival, and a commitment to using local union labor for construction.

This will include the Operating Engineers Local 12, the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, Southern California District Council of Laborers and its affiliated Local Union 1184, IBEW Local 569, and Ironworkers Local 229, according to the press release.

“It’s important to us not only to be a good business partner, but also a good neighbor in the communities that we work in,” Branam said, “and we’re just really excited to celebrate the project with all of you.

FROM LEFT: Arevon Vice President of Development Aron Branam, Chair of the Imperial County Board of Supervisors Ryan Kelley, Managing Director of San Diego Community Power Byron Vosburg, and Field Representative for Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia of the 36th California Assembly District Guillermo Hernandez, break ground during the Vikings Energy Farm’s Groundbreaking Ceremony, Thursday, February 23, in Holtville.

PHOTO CREDIT: Marcie Landeros Photo

Read the full story here: Imperial Valley Press