Leeward breaks ground on 196-MW solar park in Ohio to supply Verizon

Leeward Renewable Energy LLC said on Monday it has officially started on-site construction on a 196-MW solar park in Ohio, the future output of which is contracted by US wireless carrier Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ).

The Big Plain photovoltaic (PV) farm will be installed near London and is planned to reach commercial operations by June 2023. It will be equipped with thin-film modules made by First Solar.

Leeward has hired SOLV Energy to conduct all engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) for the project.

Once up and running, the plant will generate electricity that will be sold to Verizon under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA), which supports the telecommunication giant’s goal to be net zero in its direct operational emissions by 2035.

At the start of 2022, Verizon signed a bundled deal for 640 MW of power from Leeward, committing to buy the output of one wind and three solar parks to be built across several states. The construction of a 200-MW solar park covered by the PPA commenced in Texas in June.

Leeward, a portfolio company of OMERS Infrastructure, owns 2.5 GW of renewable power plants in operation across nine US states and has 20 GW of projects under development.

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