Photovoltaic news and pv jobs

Sempra Generation completes 48 MW PV power plant

Sempra Generation has completed construction on a 48 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Nevada, the U.S.

The plant is comprised of nearly 775,000 thin film PV panels. Image: S M L.

The largest PV plant in the country, the Copper Mountain Solar facility is located in Boulder City, about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas, and is said to be generating enough electricity to power around 14,000 average homes.


Construction began this January at the 380-acre desert site, with approximately 350 construction workers, at peak, having installed nearly 775,000 First Solar thin film PV panels. First Solar also served as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor.

The power from Copper Mountain Solar and Sempra Generation’s adjacent 10 MW El Dorado Solar plant has been sold to Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) under separate 20-year contracts. 

“Completing Copper Mountain Solar is a major accomplishment. It demonstrates that large-scale solar can be developed at a rapid pace to help this country meet its clean energy needs, and further solidifies our position as one of the leading solar developers in the U.S.,” said Jeffrey W. Martin, president and chief executive officer of Sempra Generation. “We have a focused plan aimed at developing more than 1,000 MW of solar projects in California, Arizona and Nevada that will provide solid returns well into the future.”   


The company says it expects to begin construction on the first phase of a 600 MW solar project in Arizona next year, and has recently received approval to build a 200 MW solar farm in Kern County, California.