Phase One of $100M Solar Project Breaks Ground in San Antonio

By Camelia Bulea, Associate Editor

OCI Solar Power is in the process of developing Alamo I, the first phase of a $100 million major solar project in San Antonio. Phase I of this project will have a capacity of 41 megawatts and is expected to be complete by mid-2013.

In late December 2012, OCI Solar Power announced the signing of an engineering, procurement and construction agreement with Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas) for the Alamo I project.

“The development of Alamo I is an exciting and highly anticipated project,” said Tony Dorazio, president of OCI. “Its long-term impact on the area – boosting the economy and creating jobs – reinforces our commitment to form valuable and trusted relationships with the communities we serve.”

Once all phases of the project are complete, the solar development is expected to create more than 800 permanent jobs, according to an official statement by the developer. In the summer of 2012, OCI signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with CPS Energy to build 400 megawatts of photovoltaic plants in and around San Antonio, the San Antonio Business Journal reported.

The $100 million project will provide enough electricity for nearly 70,000 local households, or about 10 percent of San Antonio’s customers. Developers expect it to reach its full capacity by 2016.

According to CPS CEO Doyle Beneby, the project will put Texas among the top five states for photovoltaic capacity in the United States.

Photo courtesy of RES Americas.

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