SunEdison to set up solar plants for up to 150MW capacity in Texas, US

Solar power manufacturer SunEdison has announced plans to construct 150MW of solar power for the City of Georgetown in West Texas, US.

The new solar facilities to be built in the state will offer 9500GWh of renewable energy to the city for 25 years.

It is expected to suffice the annual power requirements of 24,000 homes.

The proposed power plants have been scheduled to be interconnected in 2016.

Once completed, the projects will be forwarded TerraForm Power for investment, SunEdison said.

SunEdison North America Utility and Global Wind executive vice president Paul Gaynor said: "Georgetown is an exceptional city, and by going 100% renewable they will cut down on pollution, save water, and enjoy stable energy prices. They’re able to accomplish all of this without spending a penny up front with SunEdison’s power purchase agreement."

Georgetown Utility Systems general manager Jim Briggs said: "This power purchase agreement makes Georgetown Utility Systems one of the largest municipal utilities in the nation to be 100% renewable powered. It also provides a hedge against future fuel and regulatory risks."

Power purchase agreement (PPA) for the project is one of the largest within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) jurisdiction. It is also the largest utility scale solar agreement signed by SunEdison in the state, up unti now.

While the firm will be responsible for the construction of the project and its financing, SunEdison Services will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facilities.