The solar power plant is expected to create approximately 350 jobs during construction, will power about 100, 000 homes and will be one of the largest photovoltaic solar powerplants in the world, when complete.
Tellingly, about two-thirds of bids for solar energy contracts last year (by electricity generated) were for photovoltaic projects and only a third were for solar thermal powerplants, which deploy vast arrays of mirrors to heat liquids and produce steam to drive an electricity-generating turbine.
SMUD's solar energy program is particularly popular, with solar panels equipped with photovoltaic cells turning hundreds of area homes and businesses into mini-power plants.