France Recieves Its Largest PV Solar Power Facility

GDF SUEZ and its joint venture partners together with the Mayor of Curbans, France, Daniel Rolland, signed an agreement to build France’s largest photovoltaic solar power facility in Curbans (south east of France). The project is part of the Group’s strategy by the year 2013 to have a diversified electricity production base with an installed capacity of 10,000 MW. Moreover, the Group has a portfolio of photovoltaic solar energy projects totaling close to 200 MWp.

The city of Curban’s photovoltaic power facility will have a total output of 33 MWp with approximately 145,000 photovoltaic panels producing 43.5 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy each year, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 14,500 households (excluding heating) and, compared with a fuel oil power plant, sparing close to 120,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. The photovoltaic facility will cover 150 acres on a large plateau at 3,280 feet altitude. Commissioning is scheduled for August 2011.

Construction and operation of the future facility will be carried out by a specially-created project company made up of GDF SUEZ and two financial partners: EuroFideme 2  (Natixis Environnement & Infrastructure) and SEIEF (Dexia). The company will carry the financial investments committed for the project. GDF SUEZ and its joint venture partners will be in charge of the facility’s operation and maintenance during twenty years.

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