PV provider Scatec Solar has been given final approval on its plans to construct an 80MW PV plant in Iron County, Utah. The project, known as the Utah Red Hills Renewable Energy Park, was approved by the state's Public Service Commission and the Iron County Community Development and Renewal Agency.
The ground-mounted facility, which will be built on approximately 263 hectares of privately-owned land in Parowan, Utah, will generate around 210 million kWh a year – equivalent to the annual consumption of about 18,500 homes. It is estimated that the project will prevent around 150,000 tonnes of annual carbon dioxide emissions.
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Gary R. Herbert, governor of Utah said: “Energy development is one of Utah’s four cornerstones to continue to strengthen our economy…By supporting projects like the Red Hills Renewable Energy Park and other utility-scale renewable energy facilities, Utah will remain a premier destination for business, jobs, and an enviable quality of life for our residents.”
Energy produced from the plant will be fed into the gird under a 20-year power purchase agreement with PacifiCorp. PacifiCorp delivers electricity to consumers in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming through Rocky Mountain Power.
Luigi Resta, managing director of Scatec Solar North America said: “The Red Hills Renewable Energy Park represents a major step forward in providing Rocky Mountain Power access to the superb solar power potential available in Utah.”
Construction on the plant is slated to begin in the third quarter of 2014 and will be Utah’s largest PV installation when completed.
