Reuters: U.S. Army to build 500 MW solar power plant

U.S. Army to build 500 MW solar power plant

Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:59pm EDT

• Project's first phase to be 500 megawatts, could be 1 GW


• ACCIONA Solar, Clark Energy to develop plant over 13 yrs


• Developers to fund project in exchange for land lease

LOS ANGELES, Oct 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. military is tackling a new mission in the field of alternative energy, moving to power up a 500-megawatt solar facility at Fort Irwin's sprawling desert complex in California.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tapped ACCIONA Solar Power, a unit of Spain's Acciona SA, and Clark Energy Group to develop the project, which launched its first phase on Thursday.

The project, located at the Army's largest training range in California's Mojave Desert, could grow as large as 1 gigawatt in the future.

The companies will finance and build the plant in exchange for leasing of the military land. The project, planned for five sites over 13 years, could cost $2 billion.

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