Acciona, Tuto Energy to expand capacity of Mexican solar farm

Spanish group Acciona Energia and Tuto Energy Trading have agreed to increase the capacity of the Puerto Libertad photovoltaic (PV) project in Mexico, by 50% to 339MWp (270MW rated capacity).
Located in the state of Sonora, the Puerto Libertad project, with initial generation capacity of 227MWp (180MW rated capacity), was developed by the two firms through a 50/50 joint venture.
The project has already secured a contract with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) in the 2016 energy auction.
Acciona said that the 50% capacity expansion plan at the solar farm follows signing of private power purchase agreement between Acciona and Tuto Energy Trading.
Power generated from the second phase is planned to be supplied to an undisclosed major Mexican industrial group.
Upon completion of the expansion project, the Puerto Libertad farm will generate clean electricity required to meet the power annual demand of 489,000 Mexican homes.
Acciona Energia Mexico Director Miguel Ángel Alonso said: “It will be the biggest photovoltaic plant in Mexico, from where we will generate electricity to cover already-committed public and private consumption.”
Acciona Energia will be responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) for the second phase of the project.
Biofields Group (parent company of Tuto Energy) CEO Roberto Giesemann said: “This initiative represents a major step forward in the consolidation of our subsidiary Tuto Energy.
“The Biofields Group will continue with its commitment to develop and invest in projects that contribute to the sustainability of our group and our country.”
Construction on the expansion project is scheduled to commence in the last quarter of 2017 while power supply is planned to start in the first quarter of 2019.
source: solar.energy-business