FLORENCE, Ala., Nov. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Local leaders
joined executives from NextEra Energy Resources and the Tennessee
Valley Authority (TVA) this morning to celebrate the commissioning
of Alabama's largest solar energy
project – the River Bend Solar Energy Center.
"We are pleased to once again work with our valued customer,
TVA, to bring additional renewables into their portfolio with this
first project of its scale in Alabama," said Mike
O'Sullivan, senior vice president of Development for NextEra
Energy Resources, which is the owner and operator of the project.
"This 75 MW solar project will provide millions in recurring tax
dollars in aggregate over several decades for schools and essential
services in the region and will generate cost-effective, clean,
solar energy for years to come."
The River Bend Solar Energy Center features more than 300,000
solar panels with trackers that will follow the sun from east to
west each day to maximize energy production. Together, they have a
generating capacity of 75 megawatts, or enough to power more than
15,000 homes. The energy will serve TVA consumers starting
this year, under a 20-year power purchase agreement between TVA and
NextEra Energy Resources.
By using renewable energy from the sun, this project will avoid
approximately 105,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions
that would have been produced if the electricity had been generated
using fossil fuels.
"TVA never stands still, and this NextEra Energy Resources
project helps us meet our commitment to provide the 9 million
people of the Tennessee Valley with reliable, low-cost, carbon-free
electricity," said Van Wardlaw,
executive vice president of external relations for TVA. "Over the
next 20 years, TVA will invest about $8
billion to support our renewable energy portfolio, and we
see a bright renewable energy future for projects like this across
the Tennessee Valley."
The project has created a significant economic boost for
Lauderdale County, creating about
350 jobs during the construction phase, with most of the workers
coming from the local area. From labor and materials, to housing,
health care and construction - a wide variety of local businesses
have benefitted from the influx of economic activity.
"This project has provided good jobs for Lauderdale County residents, and businesses
are enjoying the extra activity, too," said Lauderdale County Commissioner Joe Hackworth. "We are thrilled to host the
state's largest solar facility and help realize the benefits it can
bring to our community."
Over its operational life, the River Bend Solar Energy Center is
expected to generate more than $9
million in property taxes, with the majority going to
benefit the Lauderdale County
School District.
"I know the school board will look at all of the opportunities
these funds will provide," said Lauderdale County School
Superintendent Jennifer Gray. "The
funds will be a boost to many of the school district's future
projects."
NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources,
LLC (together with its affiliated entities, "NextEra Energy
Resources"), is a clean energy leader and is one of the largest
wholesale generators of electric power in the U.S., with
approximately 18,260 megawatts of generating capacity, which
includes megawatts associated with noncontrolling interests related
to NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP), primarily in 25 states
and Canada as of April 2016. NextEra Energy Resources, together
with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of
renewable energy from the wind and sun. The business operates
clean, emissions-free nuclear power generation facilities in
New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin as part of the NextEra Energy
nuclear fleet, which is one of the largest in the United States. NextEra Energy Resources,
LLC is a subsidiary of Juno Beach,
Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more
information, visit www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley
Authority is a corporate agency of the
United States that provides electricity for business
customers and local power distributors serving more than 9 million
people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no
taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales
of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues
in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and
land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local
power companies and state and local governments with economic
development and job creation.
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SOURCE NextEra Energy Resources, LLC