News Article
Canadian Solar Selects ABB and Bondfield to Build 100 MW Power Plant
Solar power company Canadian Solar Inc. has selected power company ABB Inc and its consortium partner Bondfield Construction Company, to supply a 100 megawatt (MW) turnkey solar PV power plant for the previously announced Grand Renewable Energy Project in cooperation with Samsung Renewable Energy Inc and Connor Clark & Lunn Infrastructure.
The 100MW utility-scale solar farm will be Canada's largest PV project. Canadian Solar Solutions is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the solar project.
"The selection of ABB and Bondfield is the culmination of an extensive evaluation process, whereby we considered parties based on numerous criteria, including direct operating experience in Canada, total solution offerings, and examples of prior turnkey construction work on this larger scale. This is a major project for all parties involved, with ideal partners in Samsung and Connor Clark & Lunn Infrastructure. We are pleased to be moving forward on schedule and are fully intent on hitting all coming milestones on or ahead of plan," commented Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar.
"We are delighted to work with Canadian Solar Solutions on what will be Canada's largest solar PV plant and to support Samsung's visionary renewable energy initiative," said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. "Our range of solar product and system offerings combined with an extensive track record in efficiently executing optimized utility-scale PV plants around the world will enable us to deliver a best-in-class solution."
ABB will provide a balance of system solution comprising of a broad range of power and automation products. In addition, ABB is also responsible for engineering, electrical installation, commissioning, and performance testing of the plant. Ontario-based Bondfield will be responsible for all aspects of the civil works, including the foundation design and installation, along with all mechanical installation and assembly.
"The Grand Renewable Solar Project represents a significant milestone in the province's goal of increasing the percentage of renewables in the energy supply mix. We are excited to be a part of this project and look forward to bringing our more than 40 years of construction experience to this world class team," said John Aquino, Vice President and General Manager of Bondfield.
When fully operational in 2015, the PV power plant is expected to produce approximately 165,000 megawatt-hours of emission-free electricity a year, which is enough to power 13,750 Canadian homes for an entire year. It will also contribute to a cleaner environment by displacing 162,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.