The California State Water Project Moves Closer to Carbon Neutrality with 105 MW Pastoria Solar Project Coming Online

Constellation's Pastoria Solar Project, the largest renewable energy project contracted by the California Department of Water Resources to date, will help the agency decarbonize by 2035

LEBEC, California – April 16, 2026 – Today, Calpine, a business unit of Constellation, celebrated the completion of the 105 MW Pastoria Solar Project, the largest renewable energy project contracted by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to date in its mission to fully decarbonize its operations by 2035. The celebration included leaders from DWR, elected officials and labor leaders.

"We are honored to have been selected for DWR's single largest renewable energy project purchase to date," said Andrew Novotny, President and Chief Executive Officer at Calpine and Senior Executive Vice President, Constellation Power Operations. "Pastoria 2045 is a strong example of how an integrated energy solution can deliver both reliability and decarbonization. By co-locating solar, battery storage and a highly efficient natural gas combined cycle plant, we're able to provide critical services at a key point on the transmission system while supporting California's long-term energy goals. This is the kind of coordinated, public-private approach needed to meet the state's growing energy demands in a reliable and responsible way."

The Pastoria Solar Project is located near the State Water Project's (SWP) Edmonston Pumping Plant, which at 840 MW of peak load, is among the largest single electric loads in the State and the largest single load in the SWP system. As the largest single consumer of electricity in California, the SWP supplies water to 27 million residents and approximately 750,000 acres of agricultural land. As the largest public works project of its kind in the world, its continued reliability is foundational to the strength of the world's fourth-largest economy. 

"Most Californians – the equivalent of one in 12 Americans – get water from the State Water Project," said Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources. "To make that system carbon neutral by 2035, we need efforts like the Pastoria Solar Project. When we achieve our clean-energy goal while continuing to deliver water supplies without interruption, we'll set a standard for other public agencies across America."

The Pastoria Solar Project connects to the grid through the interconnection facilities at the highly efficient 750 MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle generating facility. Also, co-located with the Pastoria Solar Project is the 80 MW/320 MWh Battery Energy Storage System, which will be coming online during the spring/summer of 2026. The Pastoria Power Bank is contracted and supported by a 15-year power purchase agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

"The State Building Trades is proud to partner with Calpine on the Pastoria Solar Project as we continue moving California toward a clean energy future," said Chris Hannan, President of the State Building and Construction Trades Council. "This project reflects our shared commitment to investing in reliable, sustainable energy while ensuring that California's skilled construction workforce remains at the center of that progress. We appreciate Calpine's continued focus on creating high-quality career opportunities as they help build the infrastructure needed to power the state for generations to come."

Pastoria strategically co-locates solar generation, battery storage, and highly efficient combined cycle technology to deliver grid reliability services at a key point in California's transmission system. The integrated energy solutions at Pastoria demonstrate how California can meet its 2045 decarbonization targets in a safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible way, meeting both the current and future energy needs of millions of Californians.

"The State Water Project has one of the cleanest power portfolios of any utility in California," said John Yarbrough, Deputy Director of the California State Water Project. "DWR is proud to support efforts like the Pastoria Solar Project, which helps meet the clean energy goals of the SWP in providing safe, clean, reliable water deliveries."