Arlington Energy Center Improves Grid Reliability

Clean Power Alliance is pleased to announce that the Arlington Energy Center II Storage Project achieved commercial operation and will begin providing over 120 MW/480 MWh of capacity to our local Los Angeles and Ventura County communities while strengthening grid reliability.  

CPA provides more customers with 100% renewable energy than any other utility in the nation and we have steadily been focused on reducing the use of harmful fossil fuels by making historic investments in local battery storage facilities.

Battery storage systems are important to our customers because they allow CPA to balance renewable electricity generation, which is intermittent, with customer electricity demand, which fluctuates. Often co-located with CPA’s renewable energy facilities, CPA charges its batteries during the day with low-cost clean solar power and then discharges that energy to the grid at night, when renewable energy generation is lower, but customer usage is still high.

Like the Luna Battery Storage Project, which became operational this summer in Lancaster, the Arlington Energy Center will allow CPA to reduce potential grid instability caused by sustained high-temperature weather events, as California experienced with the recent prolonged heat wave.

Natasha Keefer, Clean Power Alliance’s Vice President of Power Supply, believes that these facilities will have considerable positive long-term impacts on the reliability of California’s power grid. “The Arlington storage project demonstrates the importance of new battery storage resources for California’s reliable transition to a clean energy future,” she said. “NextEra was able to bring the battery online ahead of the unprecedented September heat wave, so the battery was able to contribute to meeting peak load during these critical grid conditions.”

Facilities like Arlington allow more energy to be provided to the grid during peak usage hours, avoiding the need for more drastic measures such as rolling power outages.

The Arlington standalone energy storage resource is located near Blythe, California and is the fourth storage resource in CPA’s long-term portfolio, in addition to the Sanborn, Luna, and High Desert storage facilities.

Anthony Boukarim

Anthony Boukarim serves as Resource Planner, Power Supply, supporting long-term resource planning, portfolio optimization, and procurement strategy to advance CPA’s clean energy, reliability, and affordability objectives. He brings more than a decade of experience in the energy sector, spanning management consulting and advanced energy analytics, with deep expertise supporting utilities and community choice aggregators. Prior to joining CPA, Anthony spent six years at Ascend Analytics, where he led firm-wide renewable energy and storage procurement initiatives. He holds a Master of Science in Energy Resources Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from the American University of Beirut.

Kim Dunham

Kim joins Clean Power Alliance as the Senior Analyst, Rates and Tariffs. Kim is responsible for developing and maintaining CPA’s cost of service and rate models to evaluate the financial, competitiveness, and customer impacts of rate design and rate setting options. Kim held financial, strategy, and planning roles across utilities, consulting, and the energy sector, including roles with Black Hills Energy, Marathon Oil, and Noble Energy. This cross-sector background gives her a broad view of how financial modeling, regulatory strategy, and capital planning intersect to support growth, reliability, and environmental responsibility. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Wyoming.

Mark Hum

Mark Hum serves as Senior Associate, Communications and Marketing at Clean Power Alliance. He is a marketing and communications strategist with a background in medtech and life sciences, where he supported initiatives spanning multiple industries across both B2B and consumer-facing brands. His work is grounded in a copywriter’s mindset, starting with audience needs and translating complex ideas into clear, compelling stories that build trust and understanding. Mark has led integrated communications across digital, social, email, web, and stakeholder channels, with an emphasis on accessibility, consistency, and measurable impact. He brings a strong appreciation for structure and narrative, ensuring that every message serves a purpose and connects with people in a meaningful way. Mark holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).

Pom Saengxuto

Prapassara “Pom” Saengxuto serves as Finance and Accounting Analyst at CPA. She is a Certified Public Accountant with over 20 years of experience in accounting and finance. Throughout her career, she has worked across a wide range of industries, including public accounting, private corporations, entertainment, manufacturing, consulting and construction. This diverse background allows her to bring a well-rounded and practical perspective to every engagement. Pom is known for her strong dedication, attention to detail, and commitment to accuracy. She works effectively both independently and as part of a team, consistently supporting organizations in making informed, strategic financial decisions. Her approach combines technical expertise with a deep sense of responsibility and professionalism.