- EDF power solutions North America and Masdar signed 15-year PPAs with Southern California Edison for the BigBeau Solar+Storage Project in California.
- The project includes 128 MWac of solar generation and a 40 MW/160 MWh battery energy storage system.
- BigBeau is part of a wider EDF and Masdar partnership covering seven projects with 1.1 GW of combined capacity.
EDF And Masdar Secure Long-Term Clean Power Deal In California
EDF power solutions North America and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, Masdar, have signed 15-year power purchase agreements with Southern California Edison for the BigBeau Solar+Storage Project.
The agreements cover the full output from BigBeau’s 128 MWac solar plant and its 40 MW/160 MWh battery energy storage system. The project has been operating since December 2022. It began delivering electricity to Southern California Edison under the new contracts on Feb. 1, 2026.
The deal places an already-operational clean power asset into a long-term utility supply structure. For California, that matters. The state is trying to balance rising electricity demand, clean energy mandates and grid reliability during periods of high load.
Battery-backed solar projects are increasingly central to that strategy. They allow utilities to store renewable power and dispatch it when demand rises or solar production falls. That flexibility is becoming more valuable as California adds more renewable generation and faces sharper evening demand peaks.
Long-Term PPAs Add Certainty For Clean Energy Investment
The 15-year agreements give EDF power solutions and Masdar long-term revenue visibility for BigBeau. They also give Southern California Edison access to clean generation from an existing project, reducing execution risk compared with early-stage development.
For corporate leaders and investors, the transaction reflects a broader market pattern. Clean power buyers are prioritizing projects that combine generation with storage. Utilities need renewable supply, but they also need assets that can support reliability.
BigBeau’s battery component helps address that challenge. The system can store electricity during periods of solar production and release it when the grid needs additional supply. That makes the project more useful than a standalone solar asset in a market shaped by renewable intermittency.
Dustin Priemer, Director Asset Management Masdar Americas, said, “This agreement forms a part of Masdar’s growing portfolio in the United States, reflecting our focus on scaling reliable, utility-scale clean power. We are appreciative of our growing partnership with Southern California Edison and our shared commitment to investing in new generation capacity to meet growing energy demand in California.”
The reference to new generation capacity is important. California’s electricity system is under pressure from population growth, electrification, data center demand and transport decarbonization. Each factor increases the need for dependable clean power at scale.
RELATED ARTICLE: EDF, El Paso Electric Begin Operations at 150 MW Solar-Storage Facility
EDF And Masdar Expand Their U.S. Renewable Footprint
BigBeau is one of seven projects that Masdar and EDF power solutions agreed to develop through a wider partnership. Together, those projects have a combined capacity of 1.1 GW.
EDF power solutions is one of North America’s largest renewable developers. The company has more than 35 years of experience and has developed 26 GW of wind, solar and storage projects. Its North American business provides energy solutions across grid-scale power, storage and electric vehicle charging.
Jacqueline de Fresart, Associate Director of Origination and Power Marketing at EDF power solutions North America, said, “We are very pleased to support Southern California Edison’s clean energy goals and provide reliable and efficient energy to its customers from our operating BigBeau project,”
For Masdar, the agreements add to a growing U.S. portfolio. The company has been active in the United States since 2019 and has invested several billion dollars in the market. It plans to develop a portfolio of up to 25 GW in the country within the next decade.
That ambition fits a wider shift in global clean energy finance. International developers and state-backed clean energy companies are increasing their exposure to U.S. renewables, despite changing policy conditions. Long-term contracts with major utilities remain one of the clearest routes to bankable growth.
What Executives And Investors Should Watch
The BigBeau agreements show how clean power procurement is evolving. Utilities are not only buying renewable electricity. They are seeking assets that can help manage grid stress, meet policy targets and support customer demand.
For investors, storage-backed PPAs can improve project value by adding flexibility and reliability. For corporate energy buyers, the deal points to a market where clean power claims will increasingly depend on timing, dispatchability and grid impact.
California remains one of the world’s most closely watched clean energy markets. The state’s choices on solar, storage and utility procurement often influence investment decisions far beyond the U.S. West Coast.
BigBeau’s new agreements therefore carry weight beyond one project. They show how mature renewable assets can be repositioned through long-term contracts to serve a grid that needs cleaner power and greater resilience at the same time.
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