Utility firm Arizona Public Service Co (APS) has announced plans to develop a 32MW PV facility under its AZ Sun Program which seeks to increase the solar capacity in the state of Arizona.
Located on 161.2 hectares of land in Gila Bend, Arizona, the plant will be equipped with more than 170,000 polycrystalline modules mounted on single-axis trackers which follow the sun as it moves during the day.
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The company has appointed Black & Veatch to design and build the Gila Bend Solar Power Plant while construction is scheduled to begin later this year in October. The nine-month project is expected to create 150 jobs in Arizona and is slated to complete in June 2014.
“APS is a leader in solar development in Arizona — providing opportunities for solar developers and installers, creating valuable jobs for the industry and helping to create a sustainable energy future for their customers,” said Dean Oskvig, President and CEO, B&V Energy, Black & Veatch.
“Black & Veatch has been involved in nearly half the utility-scale photovoltaic plants currently operating in North America. We will bring this expertise to what will be the second largest plant under the AZ Sun program to date.”
The Gila Bend solar plant also represents the seventh AZ Sun facility to break ground. APS currently has 86 MW of AZ Sun in service, along with 64 MW under construction or in development.
