AEP Ohio seeks PPA on 49.9 MW solar project

(ADPnews) – Oct 6, 2010 – AEO Ohio, a subsidiary of American Electric Power, (NYSE:AEP), has signed a long-term contract to purchase the output of a 49.9 MW solar power plant in the state.

The project, touted as the largest commercial solar development east of the Rocky Mountains, will be developed by Turning Point Solar LLC, a joint venture of Agile Energy Inc and New Harvest Power. It will sprawl on a 500-acre (202.3 hectares) site in southeastern Ohio. An estimated 300 permanent jobs will be created at the completed facility and a further 300 during construction.

AEP Ohio will negotiate a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the energy to be produced by the project.

Construction and commercial operation of the power station will be phased in over three years. Approximately 20 MW is expected to be in commercial operation by late 2012. An additional 15 MW will be added by the end of 2013 and the remaining 14.9 MW will be online by the end of 2014.

Ohio Substitute Senate Bill 221 requires that AEP Ohio supply 0.06% of its load in 2012 with generation from solar resources, 0.09% in 2013, and 0.12% in 2014. The benchmark requirements ramp-up annually to a total of 0.5% by the end of 2024.

AEP Ohio already has met the benchmarks set for 2010 and 2011 through its long-term PPA for solar energy from the 10.08 MW Wyandot Solar facility in Upper Sandusky, Ohio.

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