Avantus’ Aratina 1 project reaches commercial operations

Avantus plans to maintain a controlling stake in Aratina 1 and operate the project, the first of several assets as Avantus expands from developer to independent power producer (IPP). The project has long-term power purchase agreements with two community choice aggregators (CCAs) – Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) and Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) – for the full output of the project, enough to power more than 105 000 California homes annually.

Cliff Graham, CEO of Avantus, commented: “Aratina 1 coming online marks a major milestone for Avantus as an IPP, providing reliable clean power to California communities for decades to come. I’m incredibly proud of what Avantus has built here. Their expertise across development, construction, financing ,and operations, and the trust our financing and CCA partners have placed in us, are the foundation we’re building our long-term IPP model on.”

Robert Shaw, CEO of 3CE, added: “The Aratina project is a powerful example of how community choice energy turns climate goals into real projects on the ground. Our long-term commitment to 120 MW from this facility will deliver clean, affordable power to our customers while supporting California’s transition away from fossil fuels. We’re grateful to partner with Avantus on a project that strengthens grid reliability and invests in the Central Coast’s clean energy future.”

Monica Padilla, CEO of SVCE, noted: “The clean power generated from the Aratina project gets us one step closer to our climate goals. New projects like this are critical in increasing state-wide clean capacity and reliability as we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and move towards an all-electric future.”

Financing of more than US$500 million for Aratina 1 was provided by a consortium of four lenders led by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., Truist Securities, ING Capital, and Mizuho. The project also secured a US$300 million tax equity commitment from Truist Bank.

The project created approximately 500 jobs at peak construction and will create local operations roles throughout its operating life.

Avantus is committed to long-term ownership and community partnerships. Early in 2026, Avantus launched the Boron Community Partnership Panel, a community-led group of local organisations and residents. The panel provides an ongoing forum for dialogue with the local community and helps guide the project’s local investments, with a focus on community-building opportunities that support youth, education, civic, and cultural initiatives.

Aratina 2, the second phase of the Aratina Solar Center, located adjacent to Aratina 1, is currently under construction. Aratina 2 recently closed more than US$525 million in financing and is targeting commercial operations before the end of 2026. Once complete, the Aratina Solar Center will represent a combined 350 MW of solar and 952 MWh of energy storage, helping California meet growing energy demand with reliable, dispatchable power.

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