Enel Green Power connected to the grid the first segment of the 275-MW Bungala Solar PV project, located near Port Augusta in South Australia.
The Enel SpA subsidiary said it connected to the grid the first 45-MW "feeder" of the 137.7-MW Bungala Solar One project, developed through a joint venture with Dutch Infrastructure Fund. Enel described Bungala as Australia's largest solar project currently producing power.
Once completed, the US$315 million solar project will be able to generate 570 GWh per year. Enel Green Power is investing approximately US$157 million, with the rest funded by a combination of equity and project finance with a consortium of local and international banks, according to a May 30 news release.
The output of the project is contracted with a long-term power purchase agreement with Origin Energy, an Australian utility.
