Yucaipa Valley Water District Installing Solar + Energy Storage Project to Power Water Filtration and Recycling Operations
June 24, 2024
The Yucaipa Valley Water District (YVWD) has broken ground on a resiliency and clean energy water and wastewater project that will install 7 MW of solar power, 3.3 MW of energy storage systems, and 3.2 MW of natural gas generators paired with microgrid controllers.
ENGIE North America will manage the systems' construction, ownership, and operation, which will take place at two key YVWD locations in California: the Yucaipa Valley Regional Water Filtration Facility and the Wochholz Regional Water Recycling Facility.
“This project marks a significant step forward in YVWD’s commitment to sustainability and energy resilience... [and] will enable YVWD to provide much-needed resiliency and reliability during power outages, ensuring our community remains safe and operational," said Joseph Zoba, GM at YVWD.
In total, the YVWD manages more than 220 miles of drinking water pipelines and provides water, sewer, and recycled water connections to over 22,000 residents in the Inland Empire. This project will significantly improve the District's capacity to serve residents, stabilize rates, and ensure reliable power to critical facilities during public safety power shutoff (PSPS) events.
“This initiative is projected to create $82 million in net savings after covering all costs over the 28-year agreement. The environmental impact of this project is substantial, with a carbon emissions reduction equivalent to removing 2,105 cars from the road annually," said Courtney Jenkins, VP of Energy Solutions from ENGIE North America.
