Fresno County clean energy project gets boost from Newsom

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that he has “cut the red tape” to speed up work on a Fresno County project expected to bring clean energy to over 300,000 homes.

Officials say Governor Newsom certified the Cornucopia Hybrid Project in Fresno County. The certification means a “streamlined process for legal challenges that can otherwise cause long delays.” This was done by using a law to “build more, faster,” which officials say was extended in the infrastructure package passed in 2023.

“In California, we’re in the ‘how’ business – we’re moving fast to achieve our world-leading clean energy goals. By fast-tracking critical projects like this one in Fresno, we’re creating good-paying jobs, cutting pollution, and building a cleaner, more reliable energy grid to serve Californians for generations,” said Newsom.

The project, according to state officials, is expected to deliver 300 megawatts (MW) of renewable solar energy and 300 MW of battery storage – a combination that is expected to make it easier to dispatch carbon-free electricity during peak demand times to the grid, which includes evening and nighttime hours, when renewable generation is limited.

Officials say the package is expected to “take advantage” of a total of $180 billion in funds over the next ten years and to generate 400,000 jobs. Out of the $180 billion, the state reports having already invested $109 billion and created 200,000 jobs.