GV Wire: Westlands Board Vote Moves Huge Solar Project Forward

published on January 6, 2026
Written by Nancy Price

A vote last month by the Westlands Water District board to sign off on the environmental impact report for a massive solar project on Fresno County’s westside marked a major milestone in the development of the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan.

In addition to generating much-needed electricity, VCIP could boost Fresno County’s property tax revenues as well as groundwater supplies.” — Jose Gutierrez, Westlands assistant GM 

The environmental report is subject to a 30-day challenge period that ends Jan. 17, Jose Gutierrez, Westlands assistant general manager, told GV Wire on Monday.

If it continues to move forward on schedule, Gutierrez said, VCIP solar farms are expected to generate 20 to 21 gigawatts of electricity by 2040. If it’s fully developed, up to 136,000 acres of fallowed land could be converted to solar projects.

In addition to generating much-needed electricity, VCIP could boost Fresno County’s property tax revenues as well as groundwater supplies, Gutierrez said.

The VCIP project proposes converting vast swaths of fallowed farmland into solar farms and will include the development of transmission lines and substations to move the collected solar energy into the state’s transmission grid.

For full article, click here: https://gvwire.com/2026/01/06/westlands-board-vote-moves-huge-solar-project-forward/