Sempra Generation last week officially dedicated
the 48-MW Copper Mountain Solar facility, a project located adjacent
to the company’s 10-MW El Dorado Solar installation in Boulder City,
Nev., about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas. Sempra is calling the
facility “the largest photovoltaic solar plant in the
U.S.”
Construction on the project began in January
2010 at the 380-acre desert site. Nearly 775,000
thin-film photovoltaic solar panels, which convert
sunlight directly into electricity, were installed. The power from
Copper Mountain Solar and El Dorado Solar has been sold to Pacific
Gas & Electric (PG&E) under separate 20-year
contracts.
Sempra plans to expand the complex by more
than 200 MW, a plan recently approved by
Boulder City. But the company has even bigger plans
for newer photovoltaic facilities. Construction of
the 600-MW Mesquite Solar I facility is expected to
begin this year, with operation starting in 2013. The first 150 MW
is contracted to PG&E. Sempra, meanwhile, is also developing a
250-MW project in Colorado with BP Wind Energy and
a 200-MW solar farm in Kern County, Calif.
Sources: Sempra, POWERnews
