The project will help advance Indias goal of adding 20,000 MW of solar energy by 2022 and will result in the avoidance of approximately 557,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year compared to a similar sized coalfired power plant.
Under the contract, AREVA will build two 125 MW CSP plants using its Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) technology and will provide construction management services for the project. The first phase of the project is under construction, with a target commercial operation date of May 2013. The solar power plants will be located in Rajasthan.
J P Chalasani, CEO of Reliance Power, stated: Reliance Power is proud to be a leader in Indias clean energy future. Todays announcement is just the beginning. We look forward to working with AREVA Solar in helping meet Indias clean energy goals through this project.
AREVA CEO Luc Oursel stated: AREVA is delighted to help deliver on the promise of Indias progressive solar energy goals and to advance Reliances bold vision for a global clean energy portfolio. We will leverage our best-in-class experience to help make India and Reliance global solar industry leaders. Following our success in the French wind offshore sector, this contract reinforces the AREVA strategy in renewable energies.
The Reliance contract solidifies AREVA Solars position as a leading global supplier of CSP solutions for large-scale standalone power plants, power augmentation of fossil-fired power plants and solar hybrid applications, and follows on a series of successes. This project also further strengthens and diversifies AREVAs low-carbon energy hub in India. In Australia, AREVA Solar was awarded a contract to build a 44 MW solar thermal addition to the coal-fired Kogan Creek power station, and its energy consortium was selected as the preferred bidder for a 250 MW CLFR power plant under Australias Solar Flagships Program. And in the USA, AREVA Solar recently announced a partnership with Tucson Electric Power on a solar augmentation project in Arizona.
In total, AREVA Solar currently has more than 500 MW of CSP projects in operation, under construction or in advanced development, making AREVA one the fastest-growing CSP technology providers.
