NRG’s sixth operational large-scale solar station generates power for
up to 20,000 homes
PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 2012--
Today, NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG), through its wholly owned
subsidiary NRG Solar, announced the start of commercial operations for
the Avra Valley Solar Generating Station, a 25 megawatt (AC)
photovoltaic facility near Tucson, Ariz. The station’s electricity will
be sold to Tucson Electric Power under a 20-year power purchase
agreement.
NRG threw the switch to begin operating its 25 megawatt Avra Valley Solar Facility near Tucson, Arizona.
“Today we celebrate the Avra Valley solar project as an example of our
success in developing solar projects that meet the renewable energy
needs of local utilities and generate cost-effective solar power over
the long term,” said Randy Hickok, Senior Vice President of NRG Solar.
“Although NRG has many distributed solar projects and thermal operations
in Arizona, this project represents our first delivery of solar power to
Tucson Electric Power, helping TEP meet Arizona’s renewable energy
goals.”
The NRG system will serve as the single largest solar array in TEP’s
renewable energy portfolio.
“We’ve worked hard to embrace solar energy as a clean, cost-effective
renewable resource for our customers. The NRG system shows how we can
expand our renewable energy portfolio while also investing in our
community and helping to create jobs,” said Paul J. Bonavia, Chairman
and CEO of TEP and its parent company UNS Energy Corporation (NYSE: UNS).
The Avra Valley array will generate enough energy to meet the annual
needs of approximately 5,000 homes, and up to 20,000 homes at peak
capacity. Using clean solar power also avoids the annual emission of
approximately 51,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,
the equivalent of taking more than 10,700 cars off the road.
Avra Valley is the sixth large-scale solar facility in NRG’s operational
fleet, producing clean solar power for thousands of homes and businesses
in three states. The other five are Agua Caliente in Yuma County, Ariz.
(to be completed in 2014); Roadrunner in Doña Ana County in New Mexico;
and Avenal, Blythe, and California Valley Solar Ranch (to be completed
in 2013) in California.
About NRG and NRG Solar
NRG is at the forefront of changing how people think about and use
energy. A Fortune 300 company, NRG is a pioneer in developing cleaner
and smarter energy choices for our customers: whether as one of the
largest solar power developers in the country, or by building the first
privately funded electric vehicle charging infrastructure or by giving
customers the latest smart energy solutions to better manage their
energy use. Our diverse power generating facilities can support over 20
million homes and our retail electricity providers—Reliant, Green
Mountain Energy Company and Energy Plus—serve more than two million
customers. NRG Solar LLC, a subsidiary of NRG, has more than 2,000 MW of
photovoltaic and solar thermal projects under development or in
construction across the southwestern United States. More information is
available at www.nrgenergy.com.
Connect with NRG Energy on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy.
NRG Safe Harbor Disclosure
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are
subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions and include
NRG’s expectations regarding the Company’s Avra Valley solar project and
forward-looking statements typically can be identified by the use of
words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” and similar terms. Although
NRG believes that its expectations are reasonable, it can give no
assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct, and
actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those contemplated above include,
among others, general economic conditions, hazards customary in the
power industry, competition in wholesale power markets, the volatility
of energy and fuel prices, failure of customers to perform under
contracts, changes in the wholesale power markets, changes in government
regulation of markets and of environmental emissions, and our ability to
achieve the expected benefits and timing of our electric vehicle
projects. NRG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors that could
cause NRG’s actual results to differ materially from those contemplated
in the forward-looking statements included in this news release should
be considered in connection with information regarding risks and
uncertainties that may affect NRG’s future results included in NRG’s
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.
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Source: NRG Energy, Inc.
NRG
Media:
Lori Neuman, 609.524.4525
Dave
Knox, 713.537.2130
or
Investors:
Chad Plotkin,
609.524.4526
Stefan Kimball, 609.524.4527
or
Tucson
Electric Power
Media:
Joseph Barrios, 520.884.3725
or
Investors:
Chris
Norman, 520.884.3649