Rail, Solar Projects Feature in California's Fourth-Quarter Project Starts, Completions

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--California, the leading state for industrial activity on the U.S. West Coast, is set for more than $9.6 billion in industrial project starts and completions from October through December this year. The Industrial Manufacturing Industry, with more than $5 billion in project activity, leads the state for the value of projects and completions. This is followed by the Pharmaceutical-Biotech Industry, with $1.9 billion in projects, and the Power Industry with $1.8 billion.

Rail projects feature heavily along the West Coast, and one of the main projects to kick off this quarter in California is construction of a high-speed rail segment near San Francisco. The project is the third section of an 800-mile, multi-phased rail project to connect Sacramento to San Diego. The 22-mile rail segment has a total investment value (TIV) of $444.2 million and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2019. HNTB Corporation (Oakland, California) is construction manager on the project, and California Rail Builders (Los Angeles, California) is performing design-build work. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Also on the books to kick off this quarter is construction of Terminal 1.5 at the Los Angeles International Airport. The five-level terminal building will be constructed between terminals 1 and 2 to ease congestion and provide connectivity between the two terminals. The project is planned to be completed in the summer of 2019 and has an estimated TIV of $750 million. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Renewable energy projects, particularly solar, have a strong presence in the state. California has one of the most rigorous renewable portfolio standards in the U.S., requiring 33% of energy to come from renewable sources by 2020 and 50% by 2030. Among the top solar projects planned to kick off this quarter is First Solar Incorporated's (NASDAQ:FSLR) (Tempe, Arizona) planned 150-megawatt (MW) Willow Springs photovoltaic solar array near Rosamond, California. The facility will be constructed on a 1,400-acre site and will use 2.3 million photovoltaic solar panels. The project is planned to kick off next month and be completed by the end of 2018. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Project Completions
Rail and solar projects also feature heavily in the state's project completions. Among the highest-value projects to be wrapped up this quarter is Phase I of the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Line. The first phase includes 38.5 miles of rail corridor with 10 stations, running from Santa Rosa to San Rafael. The envisioned line will eventually be 70 miles long with 14 stations. Construction began in 2012. Stacy and Witbeck Incorporated (Alameda, California) is acting as general contractor on the project. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Phase I of the California Flats photovoltaic solar farm near Shandon, California, is set for completion this month. The project is owned by First Solar and will generate 130 MW on a 2,600-acre site. McCarthy Building Companies Incorporated is performing engineering, procurement and construction on the project. A second phase, which will generate 150 MW, is set to kick off construction this quarter, taking about a year to complete. The projects have a combined estimated TIV of $590 million. For more information, see Industrial Info's project reports on Phase I and Phase II.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.