Maryland cooperative signs 27.5-MW solar PPA with Origis Energy

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) and Miami, Florida-based solar developer Origis Energy USA have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 27.5-MW solar farm in La Plata, Maryland.

The Ripley Solar project, developed by Origis Energy, is expected to be fully operational by the middle of 2019, the companies said on Tuesday. SMECO will buy all generated power and Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) over 25 years to help meet its renewable portfolio obligation. The state requires utilities to purchase 1.15% of their load from solar resources in 2017 and 2.5% by 2020.

The project is subject to approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission and local permitting. According to Origis Energy's preliminary design it will use single-axis trackers with some 86,000 thin-film solar modules.

SMECO picked Origis Energy following a request for proposals and an assessment of 20 submissions.

"The amount of solar energy this project will produce nearly doubles SMECO’s current solar capacity," said SMECO's president and chief executive Austin J Slater Jr. The facility is expected to produce about 56,500 MWh during its first year of operation.

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