First Solar to build largest PV installation in North America

First Solar, Inc. announced it has executed an agreement to build a 48 megawatt (MW) AC ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) power plant for Sempra Generation. This project would expand the 10MW AC power plant First Solar completed for Sempra Generation in 2008, which is located near Boulder City, Nev.

First Solar will design, engineer and construct the PV power plant. The Company expects to begin construction in 2009. Once construction is completed in 2010, the combined 58MW AC project is expected to be the largest PV power plant in North America.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to expand this 10MW project to 58MW — more than five times its original size, advancing our mission of providing clean, affordable solar electricity,” said John Carrington, First Solar executive vice president of marketing and business development. “Sempra Generation’s decision to use First Solar in expanding the El Dorado solar plant demonstrates our ability to provide a cost-effective energy solution for utility scale projects.”

As is the case with the original 10MW AC solar plant, the 48MW AC project will be constructed adjacent to Sempra GenerationÂ’s existing 480MW El Dorado Energy power plant, located about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas. Sempra Generation will own and operate the PV power plant. The agreement is conditioned upon Sempra Generation executing a power purchase agreement with a utility customer for the electricity generated by the PV power plant and applicable state and local regulatory approvals.