Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) has contracted with First Solar to design and build the Paloma Solar Plant, a 17 MW photovoltaic facility in Gila Bend, Ariz. APS will own the plant, which is expected to come online in September.
The Paloma plant will be built on the site of a former alfalfa farm. The facility will use 300,000 thin-film photovoltaic panels mounted on fixed-tilt steel frames. It is the first time thin-film panels will be used for an APS solar plant, the utility notes.
Paloma is one of five solar plants currently under development in APS' AZ Sun program. Through the program, APS will finance and own 100 MW of solar photovoltaic power plants in Arizona. Upon completion, the program is expected to have at least six plants, which will be designed and constructed by third-party solar developers, contractors and equipment providers.
With Paloma, the AZ Sun program now has commitments for 83 MW of solar capacity, APS says. The entire program is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.
SOURCE: Arizona Public Service
