The Sanborn Hybrid 3 project in Kern County, California, is a massive 1.42 GW solar-and-battery facility being developed by Terra-Gen. It is expected to begin commercial operation by December 2026 and connect to the California grid.

 

The Sanborn Hybrid 3 project in Kern County, California, is a massive 1.42 GW solar-and-battery facility being developed by Terra-Gen. It is expected to begin commercial operation by December 2026 and connect to the California grid.

The project will have about 1,400 MW of grid injection capacity, connecting to the regional transmission system through the 500-kV Windhub Substation. Its solar generation will be paired with large-scale battery storage to provide electricity when demand rises.

Sanborn Hybrid 3 could require roughly 2.5–3 million solar panels, although the final number may change as construction progresses. The facility is being developed alongside existing renewable-energy infrastructure in Kern County's high-desert region.

The batteries will store excess solar electricity during the day and release it during California's evening peak-demand hours. Once operational, the project will become one of the largest new renewable-energy additions to California's grid in 2026.

Sources:
U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA
CISO