In November 2018, Signal Energy Australia was selected by ESCO Pacific as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the project.
In the same month, infrastructure investor John Laing acquired 100% stake in the project from ESCO Pacific and the project had also achieved financial close.
Signal Energy partnered with Canadian Solar for the supply of the photovoltaic (PV) modules. Canadian Solar has agreed to supply more than 490,000 of its 1,500V KuMax modules (CS3U-P), which will be installed on single-axis tracking systems.
The solar plant, estimated to cost A$170m ($122.5m), will be built on nearly 1,000 acres of grazing, crop and irrigated lands near Finley, New South Wales.
Signal Energy president Greg Pawson said: “We are very excited about establishing ourselves in the Australian renewable energy market.
“Signal Energy’s unique, utility scale solar construction expertise provides great value to our United States based customers, both in terms of project optimization and execution. Expanding our expertise and unique approach internationally seemed like the logical next step.”
Construction on the project began in December 2018 with final commercial operation expected in October 2019.
When completed, the solar plant will generate enough electricity to be supplied to more than 90,000 Australian homes, while avoiding more than 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. The solar plant will be connected to the Finley 132kV substation.
The electricity generated from the solar plant will be supplied under a power purchase agreement (PPA) to BlueScope Steel along with green certificates for a seven-year period.
Signal Energy Australia general manager Robbin Russell said: “We sincerely appreciate the confidence that ESCO Pacific has placed in Signal Energy Australia and the overall warm welcome we have received from the Australian solar industry since arriving.
“Canadian Solar’s focus on providing creative technical and commercial solutions match very well with Signal’s mission and we are very pleased to be working together with them on this important project.”
