The solar power generation facility adjacent to the headquarters of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District on Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas is designed to generate peak power of approximately 1 million watts, which is used to pump recycled water for regional use.

Covering an area of six acres, the 3,630 solar panels rotate on their mountings to maximize exposure to the sun as it moves across the sky.

Constructed, operated and maintained by Solar City, the Las Virgenes – Triunfo Joint Powers Authority (JPA) has contracted to buy power from Solar City at a fixed cost over a 20-year period. The cost for this locally generated power is less than the rate charged by the local utility that serves the region and is projected to save the JPA over $1 million through the duration of the power purchase agreement.

Solar City has also calculated that the array will prevent more than 82 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere over its life time, the equivalent of removing some 750 cars from the road.

While significant, power generated by the solar panel array will not meet all of the electrical demand for the recycled water pump station. The JPA will remain connected to commercial power lines for supplemental and lower-cost off-peak power.