ASCE Los Angeles Section

10400 Helios Way, Santa Margarita, CA 93453

Located on the northwestern corner of the Carrisa Plains, Topaz Solar Farms produce 550 megawatts of electrical power. The project includes approximately 3,500 acres of photovoltaic solar arrays, a permanent operations center, and an electrical substation.

The Topaz Solar Farms is the world’s largest operating photovoltaic electricity generating facility.  It is located on 4,700 acres of private land in San Luis Obispo County, Calif. The 550-megawatt photovoltaic project generates enough renewable energy to power approximately 160,000 average California homes.

The scale of the project and the remote location included many logistical and civil engineering design challenges These challenges included:
• Grading and drainage design over 3,500 acres within an 4,700 acre site
• Approximately 32 miles of fencing
• Approximately 46 miles of aggregate and earth roads
• Two-dimensional flood analysis over about 5,000 acres land, with runoff from a 50-square mile watershed.
• Establishing and permitting a three year, two-county, highway controlled lane closure (escort car) for truck deliveries.
• Preparing and monitoring an employee housing and bussing program
• Establishing and monitoring a condition compliance program
• Preparing compatible designs, and permit support for environmental considerations such as crossings of jurisdictional corridors, provisions for wildlife corridors
• Providing support for all building permit applications for the project.
• Preparing and maintaining an online file-sharing site for use by agencies, owners, and consultants for permit requirements and compliance verification.

The project was designed and constructed with emphasis on addressing environmental considerations. First Solar, the developer, and the owner BHE Renewables worked closely with San Luis Obispo County, state and federal resource agencies and national and local environmental groups to avoid, minimize and mitigate environmental impacts. More than 17,000 acres near the project site are protected from development or agricultural disking during operations.

The project was design addressed many environmental considerations. Quality relationships were developed with environmental agencies and stakeholders.

Wallace Group assisted with processing of approximately 95 construction permits for the project, and maintained close coordination with the local agencies for the project permitting.

Wallace Group, also participated in the Compliance Team and provided direct coordination with local agency personnel, and worked very closely with the environmental lead consultant, Althouse and Meade.

Owner’s Website:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuXjkVzePIA
Article in the San Luis Obispo Tribune. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/02/25/3508140_topaz-solar-farms-california-valley.html?rh=1

Located on the northwestern corner of the Carrisa Plains, Topaz Solar Farms produce 550 megawatts of electrical power. The project includes approximately 3,500 acres of photovoltaic solar arrays, a permanent operations center, and an electrical substation.

The Topaz Solar Farms is the world’s largest operating photovoltaic electricity generating facility.  It is located on 4,700 acres of private land in San Luis Obispo County, Calif. The 550-megawatt photovoltaic project generates enough renewable energy to power approximately 160,000 average California homes.

The scale of the project and the remote location included many logistical and civil engineering design challenges.The project was designed and constructed with emphasis on addressing environmental considerations. First Solar, the developer, and the owner BHE Renewables worked closely with San Luis Obispo County, state and federal resource agencies and national and local environmental groups to avoid, minimize and mitigate environmental impacts. More than 17,000 acres near the project site are protected from development or agricultural disking during operations.