AES Indiana, a subsidiary of power distribution company AES Corporation, is planning to acquire and construct a 250MW PV project paired with a 180MWh energy storage facility in Indiana.
Set to be acquired from a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, the Petersburg Solar Project is the next step toward AES Indiana’s transition to greener and smarter solutions, to meet the state’s future energy needs, the company said.
The facility will be connected to AES’ existing coal-fired Petersburg Generating Station and will be developed and constructed by NextEra Energy Resources in Pike County.
Kristina Lund, AES Indiana CEO, said: “The Petersburg Solar Project is a win-win solution that adds new technologies to our generation fleet, while also keeping economic benefits right here in Indiana.”
If approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), construction will begin in autumn 2021, creating 200 temporary jobs in the process, with the project expected to be fully operational by May 2024.
“Pike County welcomes the new investment of the Petersburg Solar Project and the several benefits of the project including new construction jobs and new tax revenue to the county,” said Ashley Willis, director of economic development, Pike County Economic Development Corporation.
Indiana has been highlighted as a potential growth market for solar in the US. The Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie’s Q2 Solar Market Insight Report, published in June, revealed that the state ranked fourth for solar installations in Q1 2021, having ranked just 32nd throughout 2020.
In June, the IURC approved AES Indiana’s plans to acquire the 195MW Hardy Hills solar project in Clinton County, Indiana.
Lund said: “The Petersburg Solar Project is another step in our strategy to accelerate the future of energy by diversifying our portfolio to include renewables along with conventional fuel sources and to prioritise major investments to modernise our energy grid.”