Southern Power buys 103MW Butler solar energy facility from Community Energy

Southern Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta based energy firm Southern Company has acquired 103MW Butler solar energy plant from Community Energy.

Butler solar energy facility is spread across 1070 acre area in Taylor County, Georgia, and the plant is likely to feature more than one million thin-film photovoltaic solar modules mounted on single-axis tracking tables.

Construction on the facility is expected to begin this September, with commercial operations scheduled to begin in fourth quarter of 2016.

Butler project was selected through the Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative, which was taken up by another subsidiary of Southern Power named Georgia Power.

According to Southern Company, the electricity and associated renewable energy credits generated by the Butler facility will be sold under a 30-year power purchase agreement with Georgia Power.

As part of the agreement, Georgia power will have the right to sell or keep the renewable energy credits for the benefit of its customers.

US based solar panel manufacturer, First Solar will manage the construction, operations and maintenance of the Butler project.

Southern Company CEO Tom Fanning said: "The Butler solar facility builds on Southern Company’s innovative approach to diversifying our nation’s energy mix.

"Our strategic development of solar in Georgia continues our company’s expansion of renewable energy generation in the Southeast."

The company also highlighted that in Georgia alone, it has acquired or is constructing more than 1,100MW of renewable energy projects including 16 solar, wind and biomass projects.