The AES Corporation announced the completion of Bellefield 1, the first phase of its 2,000 MW Bellefield solar-plus-storage project located in Kern County, California. Developed under a 15-year contract with Amazon, Bellefield 1 includes 500 MW of solar generation and 500 MW of four-hour battery energy storage.
Once fully completed, Bellefield will become the largest solar-plus-storage facility in the United States, with a total installed capacity of 2,000 MW. Construction of Bellefield 2 remains on schedule and is expected to be completed in 2026.
AES continues to be recognized as a leading clean energy provider to corporations, including technology firms, with 10.1 GW of contracted capacity globally. The Bellefield project alone will generate enough electricity to power approximately 467,000 homes annually, while displacing more than 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year and improving regional air quality.
To support efficient, safe, and rapid deployment, AES utilized Maximo, an AI-enabled robotic system developed in-house, to assist construction crews with solar module installation.”Completing the first 1,000 MW of Bellefield demonstrates how rapidly solar and storage can be deployed to meet the growing energy demand of data centers,” said Andrés Gluski, AES President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our best-in-class track record of delivering renewables projects on time and on budget is deeply valued by our customers and is one of our key competitive advantages.”
Bellefield 1 supported more than 700 union jobs during construction. At peak construction of Bellefield 2, approximately 1,000 union jobs are expected, providing economic benefits to the surrounding community and local businesses.
The company expects to recognize earnings associated with Bellefield 1 in the second half of 2025, as planned.
