The US clean energy developer Avantus has secured a USD525m financing package for the Aratina 2 utility-scale solar and storage project in eastern Kern County, California, United States (Avantus statement, 09/07/2026).
Currently under construction, the Aratina 2 project is expected to begin operations by the end of 2026. The facility will provide the California grid with 150 MW of solar generation capacity and 452 MWh of battery storage capacity.
The project is supported by a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Southern California Edison (SCE).
Aratina 2 represents the second phase of the Aratina Solar Center, which, including Aratina 1, will reach a combined capacity of 350 MW of solar generation and 952 MWh of battery storage.
Avantus is developing a portfolio across its main markets of California, Nevada and Arizona, with 13 GW of solar capacity and 44 GWh of storage capacity under development. The company aims to bring 5 GW of system capacity into operation by 2030. According to the company, 788 MW are expected to be commercially operational and 800 MW under construction by the end of the year.