The California Energy Commission (CEC) voted unanimously forthe switch, which was requested by US renewables  giant NextEra.

NextEra acquired the rights to Blythe in 2012 following the collapseof its original developer, a unit of the bankrupt CSP specialist Solar Millennium, which had planned anepic 1GW parabolic-trough installation.

The CEC said NextEraexpects the plant to incur construction costs of $1.13bn.

Construction is expectedto last 48 months.