Southern Power, a subsidiary of Southern Co., has acquired two solar projects totaling 99 megawatts in capacity in the state of Georgia from Tradewind Energy Inc.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The 80-MW Decatur Parkway and 19-MW Decatur County projects were developed by Tradewind Energy and selected by Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power in a competitive process through the Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative.
The electricity and renewable energy credits generated by the 80-MW facility will be sold under a 25-year power-purchase agreement with Georgia Power. Construction of the 80-MW facility is due to begin this month.
Georgia Power will purchase the energy generated from the 19-MW project under a 20-year PPA. Southern Power will retain the renewable energy credits, which it may sell to third parties. Construction of the 19-MW facility is currently scheduled to begin in June.
Both projects, which are expected to enter commercial operation in late 2015, will be constructed on separate sites totaling approximately 950 acres in south Georgia’s Decatur County using single-axis tracking technology – optimizing efficiency by directing solar panels to track the sun.
With the development of the Decatur County projects, Southern Power will own approximately 670 MW of renewable energy generating capacity that is either already in operation or under development. The company owns seven solar projects in partnership with Turner Renewable Energy and one solar project in partnership with First Solar. Southern Power also owns one of the nation’s largest biomass power plants in Nacogdoches, Texas, and has recently announced plans to develop a 131-MW solar facility in Taylor County, Georgia, which is expected to be completed in 2016.