RB Inyokern Data Center
Also called: RBIDC
A company wants to build a one-story, 238,000-square-foot data center on about 50 acres in Inyokern. It would have 40 diesel backup generators, so the California Energy Commission is reviewing it. The company first said it would use 12 to 16 million gallons of groundwater a year. Ridgecrest, the China Lake Navy base and the school district have opposed it.
Where things stand: Under review by the California Energy Commission (docket 26-SPPE-01); the state asked for more information in June 2026.
🕒 Latest update (July 20, 2026): The City of Ridgecrest asked to join the state case as an intervenor.
What we know
- 📍 Whereabout 50 acres near U.S. Highway 395 and State Route 178 in Inyokern (unincorporated), near Ridgecrest, Kern County
- 🏢 CompanyR&L Capital, Inc.
- 🌳 Size50 acres
- ⚡ Power it needs99 megawatts (about as much as 79,200 homes)
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromSouthern California Edison, through a new substation tied underground to SCE's Inyokern Substation
- 🗼 New power linesYes
- 💧 Watergroundwater from the Indian Wells Valley basin
- 🛢️ Diesel generators40
- 👷 Jobs promised60
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- How much groundwater would it really use each year, and has the local groundwater agency agreed? 🙋 I'll find out
- When will the Energy Commission decide on the exemption? 🙋 I'll find out
- Will Kern County need to give a land use permit? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- June 2026The Energy Commission found the application incomplete and asked for more on air, water, noise, land use and looks, due July 10.
- July 20, 2026The City of Ridgecrest asked to join the state case as an intervenor.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- RB Inyokern Data Center (26-SPPE-01) · California Energy Commission · 2026
- State regulators request more information on proposed Ridgecrest data center · KGET · June 2026
- City of Ridgecrest Petition to Intervene (TN271564) · City of Ridgecrest / CEC docket · July 20, 2026
See something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.