SunPower has started the construction of Boulder Solar, a 100-megawatt (AC) solar power plant in the Eldorado Valley of Boulder City, Nev.
NV Energy will be buying the solar power from the Boulder Solar plant, which is expected to be operational in 2016, as per a 20-year power purchase agreement with SunPower. The solar power project may generate enough electricity to serve the needs of more than 60,000 homes during daylight hours.
SunPower operates more than 5.8 gigawatts of solar systems worldwide.
Jorg Heinemann, SunPower executive vice president, global power plants, said that Boulder Solar will create approximately 200 jobs during construction.
SunPower is constructing the Boulder Solar power plant on approximately 600 acres. Boulder City has leased the land to SunPower under a long-term lease agreement.
SunPower is constructing a SunPower Oasis Power Plant system at the site. The company is using advanced technology including robotic solar panel cleaning capability that uses 75 percent less water than traditional cleaning methods and can help improve system performance by up to 15 percent.
SunPower acquired the project earlier this year from KOMIPO America, an independent power producer operating 14 gigawatts of generating capacity globally. KOMIPO, a subsidiary of Korea Midland Power, will participate in the construction and operation of the project.
Meanwhile, SunPower is completing construction on a 15-megawatt solar power plant for NV Energy at Nellis Air Force Base.
Rajani Baburajan
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