sPower focuses on four Virginia solar projects with combined 485 MW capacity

AES' solar development arm, sPower, filed requests with the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for market-based rate schedules for four solar facilities that will make up the 485-MW Highlander Solar project to be located in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and within the PJM balancing authority area.

Two of the four facilities, which will have a combined capacity of 300 MW, have power purchase agreements with Microsoft. A third facility, with a capacity of 165 MW, has a PPA with Apple. The fourth facility, with a capacity of 20 MW, has a PPA with the University of Richmond.

The 75-MW Pleinmont Solar 1 project, which will supply Microsoft, has a mid-2020 startup date, according to the filing with FERC.

On Tuesday, sPower's senior project manager, David Spotts said in an email that the mid-2020 date was for initial energization, with a final completion of the project expected in the final quarter of 2020.

The 225-MW Pleinmont Solar 2 project, which also has a PPA with Microsoft, has a mid-2021 startup date and still requires permits.

The 165-MW Highlander Solar Energy Station 1 has a late 2020 startup date and is under construction.

The 20-MW Richmond Spider Solar facility still needs its permits, but, according to Spotts, will be issued permits "this week." Both Highlander 1 and the Richmond project "will achieve substantial completion by December 31, 2020," Spotts said in the email.