Dive Brief:
- A subsidiary of Southern Co. will acquire two solar projects totaling 99 MW from Tradewind Energy. The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports financial details were not released.
- The projects include the 80-MW Decatur Parkway Solar Project and the 19-MW Decatur County Solar Project.
- The projects were proposed by Tradewind and selected by Southern subsidiary Georgia Power in a competitive process.
Dive Insight:
Southern Power's deal with Tradewind is a "strategic investment," the company's chief said, aimed at moving Georgia forward as a renewable power leader.
“Southern Power’s strategic investment in the Decatur solar projects will help meet Georgia’s growing energy needs,” said Southern Co. Chairman, President and CEO Thomas A. Fanning. “These projects and others are enhancing Georgia’s position as a national leader in renewable energy.”
The electricity and associated renewable energy credits (RECs) 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 currently scheduled 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 associated RECs, 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. With the development of the Decatur County projects, Southern Power said it will own approximately 670 MW of renewable energy generating capacity that is either already in operation or under development.
