The companies signed an agreement in October for Enbridge to acquire the initial 20MW solar energy project that First Solar developed at the Sarnia site. The project started full commercial operation on December 7, 2009.
Bruce Sohn, president of First Solar, said: “We welcome this new investment from Enbridge to expand the Sarnia project. It demonstrates confidence in First Solar’s engineering, procurement and construction team, which has recently completed the first 20MW at Sarnia.”
Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, First Solar will construct the solar project for Enbridge under a fixed price engineering, procurement and construction contract, utilizing its thin film photovoltaic technology.
The 60MW phase of the project is expected to begin construction in December and be completed by December 2010. At 80MW, Enbridge expects that the Sarnia solar project will generate enough power to meet needs of approximately 12,800 homes and help save the equivalent of approximately 39,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
First Solar will also provide operations and maintenance services to Enbridge under a long-term contract. The power output of the 80MW facility will be sold to the Ontario Power Authority pursuant to 20-year power purchase agreements under terms of the Ontario Government’s Renewable Energy Standard Offer Programme.
