Clearway closes financing and starts construction of Rosamond Central BESS project in Kern

Clearway Energy Group has achieved a US$421 million financial closing on its Rosamond Central Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project, a 147 MW/588 MWh capacity battery storage facility being paired with the operating 192 MW Rosamond Central solar farm in Kern County, California, USA. 

In connection with the construction of Rosamond Central BESS, Clearway assembled a bank consortium comprising NordLB as the Coordinating Lead Arranger, with CoBank, Commerzbank, DNB, Societe Generale, and Zions Capital Markets as Joint Lead Arrangers. Clearway closed cash equity with climate investment firm HASI and Clearway Energy, Inc. and arranged committed tax equity investments.

The construction on Rosamond Central BESS began in April 2023 and the facility is expected to reach commercial operation in 2024. Southern California Edison (SCE) will purchase the energy storage capacity under a long-term resource adequacy (RA) contract. 

Wärtsilä will supply battery storage systems for the project and construction is being led by Rosendin.