On Wednesday, the Phoenix-based company announced that it had commenced the permitting process for the Gila Bend solar development. Permitting should take between two and four months, Pacific Blue said - far shorter than the one to two years that a major solar project usually requires.
The town of Gila Bend - a burg located about 55 miles southwest of Phoenix - is helping expedite the permitting procedure, Pacific Blue CEO Joel Franklin noted. "Our recent meeting with the town mayor and manager demonstrated their commitment to fast tracking this project," he indicated.
Gila Bend, for its part, has committed to opening up to solar development. "We have identified the solar industry as a top priority in our economic development initiatives," the town's mayor, Ron Henry, said.
Pacific Blue's solar array could sell electricity into either the Arizona or California markets. While Arizona utilities may be interested in domestically produced power, California utilities are likely to pay more, as they are moving aggressively to buy up renewable energy in advance of fast-approaching clean-power mandates.
