First Solar begins construction on 250MW solar project in US

First Solar, Moapa Band of Paiutes, which is part of the Southern Paiute Nation, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) have broken ground on the 250MWAC Moapa Southern Paiute solar project in US.

The project, which is situated on the Moapa River Indian Reservation, north of Las Vegas, will provide clean energy to the City of Los Angeles for 25 years, under a power purchase agreement (PPA) with LADWP.

Moapa Southern Paiute Solar, the owner of the project will involve in the construction of the project and will be built in around 2,000 acres by using First Solar’s advanced photovoltaic (PV) thin film solar modules.

The power plant is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2015, and will supply clean solar energy to around 93,000 homes in the region.

The project will comprise an onsite substation and a new 5.5 mile 500 kV transmission line to connect the project to the existing Crystal substation, serving energy users in California.

LADWP general manager Marcie Edwards said, "The Moapa Southern Paiute Solar Project is a significant step toward the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s effort to achieve a major transformation of the city’s power supply — one that has greater reliance on renewable energy resources and zero coal power."

Image: From right to left, US Senate majority leader Harry Reid joins Moapa Band of Paiutes chairwoman Aletha Tom, First Solar CEO James Hughes, LADWP director of power system planning and development Randy Howard, and the Moapa Band of Paiutes Tribal Council to break ground on the 250MW Moapa Southern Paiute solar project. Photo: Courtesy of Business Wire.