Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) President and CEO Kevin S. Law says the LIPA board of trustees has approved power purchase agreements (PPAs) with BP Solar and enXco Development Corp., creating the state's largest source of solar power on Long Island.
LIPA's project will introduce approximately 50 MW of energy generated on Long Island onto LIPA's electric grid – enough to power 6,500 households. To defray some of the costs of the solar project, LIPA is actively pursuing funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in the amount of $15 million and has already secured $1.75 million in federal appropriations.
In February, LIPA officials announced the results of a competitive procurement process to install photovoltaic arrays, selecting BP Solar and enXco to provide LIPA with capacity, energy and associated renewable energy certificates (RECs) from solar arrays to meet LIPA's renewable energy goals.
LIPA will enter into PPAs with BP Solar and enXco Development Corp to provide 32 MW and 17 MW of energy, respectively, along with RECs and capacity from their projects. BP Solar will construct its ground-mounted solar system at Brookhaven National Laboratory at a cost of $298 million over the contracted 20-year term. enXco will install solar systems on carports within existing parking lots, at railroad stations and at other facilities owned by Suffolk County at a cost of $125 million over the contracted 20-year term.
Both PPAs require the companies to construct, operate and maintain the project and achieve full operation by mid-2011, LIPA adds.
SOURCE: Long Island Power Authority
