Heber 1 Parasitic Solar Energy Project

The Heber 1 Parasitic Solar Energy Project involves the development of a 20-megawatt solar energy facility designed to operate entirely behind-the-meter, providing power directly to offset the auxiliary load of the existing Heber 1 Geothermal Plant in Imperial County, California. The facility will not feed energy into the transmission grid but will function as an integrated component of the geothermal plant’s operations, reducing its reliance on external power sources. A medium-voltage gen-tie line will connect the solar facility to the geothermal plant, with three proposed route options under evaluation, only one of which will be selected. The project is being led by Heber Field Company, LLC, with Ormat Technologies, Inc. serving as the project owner, and includes site preparation, construction of solar arrays, and installation of the connecting cable, with construction targeted to begin in January 2025 and operations expected to commence within the same year. The place of performance is near the Dahlia Main Canal, south of El Centro, with UTM coordinates specified to define the exact location. Environmental compliance is a central requirement of the project, governed by state and federal regulations including the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Acts, and Imperial County’s Land Use Ordinances. The project must implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan approved by a Qualified SWPPP Practitioner, maintain a 50-foot buffer around special-status plants, and conduct annual botanical surveys using California Department of Fish and Wildlife protocols. Mitigation measures include topsoil salvage, seed collection, nursery propagation, and long-term funding for plant relocation. Cultural resource protections are also mandated, requiring immediate work stoppage upon discovery of Native American remains, notification to the Native American Heritage Commission within 24 hours, and adherence to defined reburial protocols. Wildlife protection measures include daily inspections of excavations for entrapped animals and installation of escape ramps. Infrastructure requirements include dedicated right-of-way easements for transmission lines, compliance with County Engineering Guidelines for street improvements, and submission of Irrevocable Offers of Dedication for road dedications. The project must also complete a Traffic Impact Study and maintain haul routes through a Road Maintenance Agreement with financial security. Key contacts include Alissa Sanchez of Ormat Technologies as the project’s environmental permitting lead, Alan Molina of Imperial County as the primary agency representative, and Sharyn Hidalgo of HDR, Inc., as the consulting project manager. While no formal contract value, solicitation number, or