Los Angeles is locking in three decades of imported sunshine from Utah, signing a 30-year deal to buy solar power from the Utah Solar 1 project. The agreement will add roughly 300 megawatts to the city’s power mix starting in June 2027. City officials say the facility is expected to generate about 823,187 megawatt-hours in its first year, enough electricity to power more than 214,000 homes, and could cut roughly 165,675 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Council And Commission Signoffs
The deal cleared the city’s two big hurdles. First, the Board of Water and Power Commissioners signed off on the Utah Solar 1 Power Sales Agreement and a related agency agreement in late March. Then the City Council adopted an ordinance to finalize the arrangement, which took effect on April 15, 2026.
According to City Clerk records, the contracts are filed under Council File 26-0449 and spell out how the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) will participate in the project through the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA).
What The Project Delivers
Mayor Karen Bass and LADWP leaders are framing the agreement as a cornerstone of the city’s clean energy push, not just another box checked. In a statement from the Mayor's Office, officials said the project is projected to produce 823,187 megawatt-hours in its first year, an amount they estimate could power 214,346 homes.
Under the deal, LADWP will buy the electricity and associated environmental attributes from SCPPA for 30 years beginning in June 2027. “Los Angeles is showing what real climate leadership looks like, we’re not just setting goals, we’re delivering results,” Bass said in the release.
Developer And Utah Benefits
EDF power solutions North America, the project’s developer, says it has executed a 30-year power purchase agreement with SCPPA to supply Utah Solar 1. The facility is planned as a 400 megawatt DC and 300 megawatt AC solar farm on state-managed lands in Millard County, Utah, with deliveries expected to start in mid-2027.
EDF’s materials say the project is slated to create about 400 peak construction jobs and is expected to generate roughly 40 million dollars in local tax revenue over the contract term. It is also projected to make about 27 million dollars in lease payments to the Utah Trust Lands Administration over the life of the agreement.
Where This Fits Into LADWP's Plan
For LADWP, Utah Solar 1 plugs directly into the city’s LA100 roadmap, the long-term plan to transition Los Angeles to 100 percent clean energy while keeping the lights on. LADWP materials show renewables made up roughly 41 percent of the utility’s power mix in 2024.
The Board resolution approving the contracts ties the purchase to LADWP’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, which sets compliance targets of 52 percent renewable energy by 2027 and 60 percent by 2030. Those benchmarks are part of meeting statewide requirements under SB 100.
Next Steps And Local Reaction
Officials say Utah Solar 1 will deliver into LADWP’s balancing authority using existing transmission infrastructure, a design choice that helps avoid building major new power lines and should make it easier to fold the new supply into the grid.
Local coverage, including reporting by the Santa Monica Mirror, highlighted the long-term approvals and the project’s projected emissions cuts and household impacts. With the policy votes done, utility staff now turn to the less glamorous work, integrating the new solar into reliability and rate planning ahead of the project’s commercial operation.
