Desert Stateline, LLC
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Desert Stateline, LLC PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT Stateline Solar Farm Submitted to: U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Needles Field Office San Bernardino County, California Submitted: August 17, 2011 BLM Project Number: CACA # 48669 Copyright © 2009 - 2011 First Solar Inc. All Rights Reserved THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Copyright © 2009 - 2011 First Solar Inc. All Rights Reserved Stateline Solar Farm Page i August 17, 2011 Plan of Development Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................1 1.1 PROPONENT INTRODUCTION: FIRST SOLAR................................................................2 1.2 PROJECT BACKGROUND....................................................................................................3 1.3 TYPE OF FACILITY, PLANNED USES, AND GENERATION OUTPUT.........................3 1.4 PROJECT PERMITTING AND CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE ........................................4 1.5 PROPONENT’S PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROJECT ...........................................5 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION.....................................................................................................................8 2.1 PROJECT STUDY AREA.......................................................................................................8 2.1.1 Proposed Solar Farm and Access Corridor.......................................................8 2.1.2 Transmission Corridor and Substation Interconnection Location ....................8 2.2 GENERAL FACILITY DESCRIPTION, DESIGN, AND OPERATIONS............................8 2.2.1 Existing Site Conditions ...................................................................................8 2.2.2 Land Use Planning and Use Classification.......................................................9 2.2.3 Geological Conditions ....................................................................................11 2.2.4 Hydrological Conditions.................................................................................12 2.2.5 Biological Resources ......................................................................................19 2.2.6 Cultural and Paleontologic Resources ............................................................24 2.2.7 Project Location, Land Ownership, and Jurisdiction......................................28 2.2.8 Legal Description............................................................................................28 2.2.9 Power Plant Facilities .....................................................................................30 2.2.10 First Solar Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) PV Technology.................................30 2.2.11 PV Arrays and Combining Switchgear...........................................................32 2.2.12 Monitoring and Maintenance Facility.............................................................34 2.2.13 Meteorological Station....................................................................................34 2.2.14 Other Ancillary Facilities................................................................................34 2.2.15 Site Security and Fencing ...............................................................................35 2.2.16 Temporary Construction Facilities .................................................................36 2.2.17 Acreage and Dimensions of Project Facilities and Components ....................36 2.2.18 Geotechnical Studies.......................................................................................37 2.2.19 Water Uses and Sources .................................................................................38 2.2.20 Erosion Control and Storm Water Drainage...................................................39 2.2.21 Vegetation Treatment and Weed Management...............................................40 2.2.22 Waste and Hazardous Materials Management................................................40 2.2.23 Reusable and Recyclable Materials/PV Module Recycling ...........................41 2.2.24 Fire Protection.................................................................................................42 2.2.25 Electrical Components, New Equipment, and Existing System Upgrades.....42 2.2.26 Interconnection to Electrical Grid...................................................................43 2.2.27 Spill Prevention and Containment ..................................................................43 2.2.28 Health and Safety Program .............................................................................44 2.3 OTHER FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCY PERMIT REQUIREMENTS ...........................................................................................................................45 2.3.1 Federal Permits and Status..............................................................................45 2.3.2 State Permits and Status..................................................................................47 2.3.3 Local Permits and Status.................................................................................48 2.4 FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL CAPABILITY ................................................................48 3.0 CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES ...................................................................................................50 Copyright © 2009 - 2011 First Solar Inc. All Rights Reserved Stateline Solar Farm Page ii August 17, 2011 Plan of Development 3.1 DESIGN, LAYOUT, INSTALLATION, AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESSES ..............50 3.2 CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS APPROACH – PHASED PROJECT..................50 3.3 ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, COMPONENT DELIVERY, WORKER ACCESS.........................................................................................................................50 3.4 CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE NUMBERS, VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT, TIMEFRAMES ................................................................................................................................51 3.5 SURVEYING AND STAKING ............................................................................................51 3.6 SITE PREPARATION, CLEARING, GRADING, AND COMPACTION ..........................52 3.6.1 Preconstruction Activities...............................................................................52 3.6.2 Site Preparation...............................................................................................53 3.6.3 Construction and Installation ..........................................................................55 3.7 SOLAR ARRAY ASSEMBLY AND CONSTRUCTION....................................................56 3.8 GRAVEL, AGGREGATE, AND CONCRETE NEEDS AND SOURCES..........................56 3.9 SOLAR MODULE AND ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES.......................57 3.10 AVIATION LIGHTING (POWER TOWERS, TRANSMISSION)...............................57 3.11 SITE STABILIZATION, PROTECTION, AND RECLAMATION PRACTICES.....................................................................................................................................58 4.0 RELATED FACILITIES AND SYSTEMS .........................................................................................59 4.1 TRANSMISSION SYSTEM INTERCONNECT..................................................................59 4.1.1 Existing Transmission System........................................................................59 4.1.2 Proposed Transmission System ......................................................................59 4.1.3 Ancillary Facilities and Substations................................................................60 4.1.4 Status of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)...............................................60 4.1.5 General Design and Construction Standards ..................................................60 4.2 GAS SUPPLY SYSTEMS.....................................................................................................60 4.3 OTHER RELATED SYSTEMS ............................................................................................60 4.3.1 Communications System Requirements .........................................................60 5.0 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE..............................................................................................61 5.1 OPERATION AND FACILITY MAINTENANCE NEEDS ................................................61 5.2 MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES ...........................................................................................61 5.3 OPERATIONS WORKFORCE AND EQUIPMENT ...........................................................61 6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS ........................................................................................63 7.0 SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION...................................................................................................65 7.1 ENGINEERING AND CIVIL DESIGN................................................................................65 7.1.1 Facility Survey and Design Drawing Standards .............................................65 7.1.2 Final Engineering and Civil Design Packages................................................65 7.1.3 Watershed and Drainage Analysis and Calculations ......................................65 7.1.4 Watershed Protection and Erosion Control Drawings ....................................65 7.1.5 Final Site Grading Plans .................................................................................65