ACEN Corp. said Tuesday subsidiary ACEN Australia awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the 520-megawatt Stubbo Solar project to PCL Construction.
“We are pleased to have reached this next milestone in bringing the Stubbo Solar project to life. It is a critical part of ACEN’s goal of reaching 20 GW of renewable energy by 2030, but importantly, Stubbo Solar will contribute to NSW’s energy security and Australia’s transition to a clean energy future,” ACEN chief development officer Sech Zabaleta said.
PCL is an experienced and diverse construction partner that delivers complete solar energy solutions in Australia, the United States and Canada.
PCL was tapped for the detailed design, engineering and procurement of Stubbo Solar.
The company will also manage ongoing operation and maintenance services in the first two years of operations.
ACEN issued a notice to proceed to PCL for the commencement of Stubbo Solar, which means all major contracts are now in place, following the recently signed connection agreement with infrastructure service provider Lumea, the execution of PV module supply contracts.
ACEN also committed $800 million for the construction of the project.
“We would like to thank our project landholders, First Nations partners, neighbors and the local community for their support over the planning and assessment stage of the project and look forward to continuing these relationships into construction,” Zabaleta said.
The 520-MW solar project is located within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone in the Mid-Western Regional Council region and will connect to the existing 330-kV network between Wollar and Wellington.
The project will produce renewable energy to power more than 185,000 average Australian homes.
The project’s development approval also includes provisions for a 200-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system, allowing for the project to dispatch energy later on when it is needed during peak hours and provide important grid stability services.
Construction of project site access has commenced, while construction of the main works by PCL is expected to start in 2023.
The project is targeted to be operational in 2025.
Stubbo Solar is expected to create up to 400 jobs during construction.
It is ACEN Australia’s second utility-scale solar project in construction.
The New England Solar project in NSW’s New England Renewable Energy Zone is due for completion in 2023 and is one of Australia’s largest solar projects to be participating in the National Electricity Market.
ACEN Australia has more than 1,500 MW of projects under construction or at an advanced stage of development, including the New England Battery, Stubbo Solar and Valley of the Winds projects in the NSW New England and Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zones, as well as the Robbins Island and Jim’s Plain Wind project in North-West Tasmania.
ACEN is the listed energy platform of Ayala Group, with 18,000-MW development portfolio throughout the Asia Pacific region.