Spain's Elecnor lands EPC job on 720-MW project in Australia

Spanish group Elecnor SA (BME:ENO) on Monday was announced as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the first phase of the 720-MW New England Solar Farm in New South Wales, Australia.

The hybrid project, featuring a 400-MWh battery storage system, is promoted by UPC/AC Australia, a joint venture (JV) between Hong Kong-based UPC Renewables and AC Energy, a subsidiary of Philippine conglomerate Ayala Corporation.

Elecnor will install the first 400 MW, build a 33/330-kV substation and provide operation and maintenance (O&M) services for two years.

The first phase will incorporate 50 MWh of battery storage.

On-site construction is expected to commence in 2021 and finalise over the next two years.

The whole facility, along with roads and other infrastructure, will take up around 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) of land near Uralla in the New England region of New South Wales.

The first stage facilities will occupy the northern section of the site, with enough space for sheep to graze between and underneath the solar panels. The panels will be mounted on single-axis trackers.

The developing JV signed an agreement with New South Wales grid operator Transgrid to connect the future plant to the existing 330-kV line that crosses the solar farm site.

Once fully constructed, the New England Solar Farm will be the largest such facility in Australia. Its total production output is estimated at 1.8 million MWh, which will be enough to power more than 250,000 typical homes in New South Wales.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!