Imperial Valley Crane Prep, Centered in El Centro

Geothermal and lithium on the Salton Sea

The Salton Sea Geothermal Field has about 400 megawatts of installed generating capacity, much of it owned by BHE Renewables, and studies see room for far more. A Department of Energy-funded analysis led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated that the brine the field already produces carries the equivalent of about 127,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate a year, though how much can be recovered commercially remains uncertain.

New projects include Controlled Thermal Resources' Hell's Kitchen development, which would combine geothermal power with lithium extraction, and a proposed lithium hydroxide facility in Calipatria. In August 2026, a state appeals court ruled that the county's approval of Hell's Kitchen had not adequately addressed water supply and air quality, so the timeline is uncertain. Check current status before planning around any of these.

Geothermal plant work means turbine and generator sets, heat exchangers, separator vessels, cooling tower components and pipe racks, which are heavy, often tandem picks. Corrosive brine and hot surfaces add to the hazards.

Farming, heat and the valley floor

Agriculture is still the valley's backbone. Packing sheds, cold storage, irrigation structures and pump stations bring boom trucks and service cranes year-round. Summer brings extreme heat, and Cal/OSHA's heat-illness standard, with its high-heat procedures once it reaches 95°F, applies to every outdoor crew. Many crews do their heavy picks at first light.

The valley floor is flat, but irrigated fields and canal banks can be soft, and overhead power lines run along many farm roads. Check voltage, keep clearances and assign a dedicated spotter when working near lines.

Interstate 8 connects El Centro west to San Diego over the mountains and east toward Arizona, and the valley's border crossings bring trucking and warehouse activity. Cold storage and distribution buildings near the highways need the same rooftop, steel and panel lifts seen in larger metros, just with more heat and fewer cranes available to call on.

Who regulates what

• Most jobs: Cal/OSHA under Title 8. California has no crane license; it requires an accredited certificate matched to the crane type the operator runs. The requirements guide has the full detail.
• Naval Air Facility El Centro: best known as the Blue Angels' winter home; private contractors on the base follow federal OSHA.
• Mines and quarries: any mining operation in the county falls under MSHA, which has its own training rules.

Suggested courses for Imperial County

Plant and construction operators should start with mobile crane operator prep. Crew leads planning tandem or heavy equipment picks benefit from Rigger Level II. Farm and utility mechanics who run a crane on a service truck should look at service truck crane prep, and line crews setting poles can prepare with digger derrick operator.