The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved 20-year energy sale agreements for five solar projects totaling 100 MW that First Wind is developing for Idaho Power Co.
The five 20 MW projects are spread across southern Idaho where they will provide electricity to Ada, Elmore, Owyhee and Power counties. Each project is targeted to be completed by the end of 2016. The five projects combined are expected to generate approximately 250 GWh of electricity per year.
‘We're excited to announce these agreements for new solar energy in Idaho,’ says Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind. ‘The new long-term contracts with Idaho Power Co. will enable us to move forward quickly and create a source of major economic activity for Idaho through good construction jobs and significant local tax revenues.’
First Wind currently operates four solar projects in Massachusetts and has additional solar projects in development in Hawaii and Utah.
In Idaho, First Wind operates the 45 MW Power County Wind project on behalf of a third-party owner.
