EASTERN UTILITY BUYS WESTERN SUN

Duke Energy Buys Two Arizona Solar Farms
13 December 2011 (Solar Industry)

"Duke Energy Renewables, a unit of Duke Energy, has purchased two large solar farms in Arizona, marking the company's first solar acquisitions in the western U.S.

"The company has purchased the Ajo solar project and Bagdad solar project from Recurrent Energy. Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) will buy all of the output from both solar farms from Duke Energy Renewables under the terms of two 25-year power purchase agreements. (APS originally signed these agreements with Recurrent Energy.)"

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"The Ajo solar project, located in Pima County, uses nearly 21,000 photovoltaic panels that can collectively generate almost 5 MW of electricity…[It went] operation in late September…The Bagdad project, located in Yavapai County, will use approximately 72,000 solar panels that can collectively generate 15 MW of electricity…[It will go operational] by the end of this year.

"…International engineering and project management company AMEC designed and built the Ajo and Bagdad projects. AMEC will be responsible for operating and maintaining the sites under the terms of five-year service agreements…"