The Mississippi Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved Mississippi Power's plan to build 105 MW of utility-scale solar plants at three different locations in the company's service territory.
The developers of the solar energy projects will finance each installation with Mississippi Power receiving all of the energy and associated renewable energy credits generated by the projects.
The energy and renewable energy credits (RECs) may be used to serve customers with renewable energy, for future renewable energy programs or to sell at wholesale to third parties. The power will be purchased through long-term purchased power agreements with the developers.
The projects include the following:
- Mississippi Power and Strata Solar are partnering on a 50 MW electric solar generating station to be located in Hattiesburg;
- The company and Origis Energy are partnering on a 52 MW solar energy project to be located in Sumrall; and
- Mississippi Power, Hannah Solar and the U.S. Navy are partnering on a 3 to 4 MW solar project to be located at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport.
As an intermittent energy resource, the solar facilities will not replace Mississippi Power's generating plants, but will have the capability to provide energy that will help diversify the company's generation portfolio and help keep rates affordable for customers.
Construction on all three projects is slated to begin in early 2016.
