The Business Journal: Westlands board clears path for massive Valley clean energy project

published on February 9, 2026
Written by Business Journal staff

The Westlands Water District Board of Directors has certified the environmental review for the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan (VCIP), a master-planned renewable energy project that aims to transform up to 136,000 acres of fallowed farmland into clean energy infrastructure.

The board voted unanimously on December 16, 2025 to certify the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Report and approve the project. With no lawsuits filed during the 30-day challenge period, the certification is now final and cannot be contested.

Project scope

At full buildout, VCIP would deliver up to 21,000 megawatts of solar generation, 21,000 MW of energy storage capacity, a new 500-kilovolt transmission system and approximately one-sixth of California’s electricity needs by 2035

The project has been strategically sited on impaired or fallowed agricultural land in areas affected by reduced surface water supplies, groundwater depletion, and Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requirements, according to a news release.

For full article, click here: https://thebusinessjournal.com/westlands-board-clears-path-for-massive-valley-clean-energy-project/