ROSEMEAD, Calif., June 18, 2009 — A plan proposed by Southern California Edison (SCE), Rosemead, Calif., for the largest U.S. installation of advanced solar panels on otherwise unused large commercial rooftops across Southern California was approved today by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), San Francisco. Under the plan, SCE will install, own, and operate 250MW of solar generating capacity over the next five years. The utility also will conduct competitive solicitations offering long-term power contracts to independent solar power providers who will install an additional 250MW, bringing to 500MW the total generating capacity of the project — the largest photovoltaic (PV) program ever undertaken.
“This innovative solar rooftop project is part of Edison International’s 25-year commitment to developing cleaner renewable and alternative energy sources for our customers,” says Theodore F. Craver, Jr., Edison International chairman and CEO. “The program will create hundreds of neighborhood solar power plants, strengthen local grid reliability, and produce hundreds of new green jobs to bolster Southern California’s economic recovery.”