AES Solar Energy Plans To Invest $400 Mln in 80 MW Solar Park in Bulgaria – Media

AES Solar Energy, part of U.S. energy group AES, plans to invest $400 million (307.6 million euro) in an 80 megawatt (MW) solar park in Bulgaria, state-run news agency BTA reported on Wednesday.

AES can launch the project as soon as it gets the green light from the Bulgarian government, BTA (www.bta.bg) quoted the U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick as saying.

The park will be built on a disused air field near Silistra, in northeastern Bulgaria,

In February, AES filed the solar park project for approval before the energy regulator. It said back then it plans to develop the project in two stages, starting with a capacity of 64 MW and later adding another 16 MW. It said it expects to start production at the park by the end of 2012.

The energy group announced that the project will be carried out through its wholly-owned unit AES Solar Bulgaria Lambrinovo, which has applied for a 20-year permit to produce solar energy.

In Bulgaria, AES also runs a 156 MW wind farm which it launched last year.

AES (www.aes.com) is expected to launch on stream its 670 MW thermal power plant, AES - 3C Maritsa East 1 near Stara Zagora, in the southeast by mid-October this year.

($=0.7689 euro)

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!