California shines with new solar plans

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 13 (UPI) -- A California solar plant backed by a conditional loan from Washington could provide enough electricity to power 100,000 homes, an energy company said.

SunPower Corp. announced it was offered a conditional loan guarantee of up to $1.187 billion by the U.S. Department of Energy to fund a 250-megawatt solar power plant.

U.S. President Barack Obama during a January address to the nation said he would like to see the United States lead the international community in developing new forms of energy.

Howard Wenger, an executive at SunPower, said in a statement that the Department of Energy was leading the way in the deployment of new and cleaner ways to meet U.S. consumer demands for electricity.

"With this loan guarantee, San Luis Obispo County is one step closer to benefiting from more than $315 million of economic development from the California Valley solar ranch, while protecting thousands of acres of local habitat," he said in a statement.

Construction on the plant is expected to begin later this year, depending on financing.