Chevron plans solar panel installation- LA Times

March 22 (Reuters) - U.S. energy giant Chevron Corp (CVX.N) is set to announce on Monday the installation of 7,700 solar power panels near Bakersfield in California, which is expected to produce 740 kilowatts of electricity, the Los Angeles Times said.

The sloping panels will be used to power the pumps and the pipelines operated at Chevron's Kern River oil field facility, the paper said.

The panels represent latest photovoltaic technologies from seven companies that Chevron is looking at as possible candidates to power its operations worldwide, the paper said.

Photovoltaic technology involves converting sunlight into electricity.

Excess power will be re-routed to the local Pacific Gas & Electric Co (PCG_pa.A) utility grid under a metering system that gives Chevron credit for the excess energy, the paper said.

Chevron could not be immediately reached for comment by Reuters outside of regular U.S. business hours. (Reporting by Sakthi Prasad in Bangalore; Editing by Sharon Linodres)