The contracts, one of which is a lump sum engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, cover both the 125MW Phase 1 part (to commence shortly) as well as the 45MW Phase 2 of the Centinela project, being developed by LS Power, Centinela’s parent company.

The Centinela project is located on approximately 1,600 acres in Imperial County, California, approximately 90 miles east of San Diego, and has all major permits secured for the project.

Fluor reports that the project will be one of the first to tie into the newly constructed Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Line. Centinela Solar Energy has closed financing for the project and has 20-year power purchase agreements with San Diego Gas & Electric for the entire power output from the facility, enough electricity to power more than 60,000 homes.

“This project brings many benefits to the State of California and Imperial County including construction and operations jobs with local business opportunities and revenues” said John King, executive vice president of LS Power.

Engineering and procurement is under way from Fluor’s Southern California operations center. The facility is expected to achieve full commercial operation by approximately the middle of 2014.