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$120M solar energy project slated for Yabucoa

Canadian firm Western Wind Energy Corp. has set its eye on Puerto Rico, with the planned development of a $120 million, 30 megawatt solar energy project in Yabucoa.

On Monday, the company announced it has already begun talks with several government agencies to break ground on the project by the end of the year. Jeff Ciachurski, Western Wind’s CEO, confirmed the investment figure.

Western Wind has reached an agreement with the Puerto Rico Land Authority to use a 400-acre plot of land in that southeastern town, while it has also set off the re-zoning process and necessary Environmental Impact Statement required by the Puerto Rico Planning Board. The latter agency must approve solar energy zoning plan.

Historically speaking, Yabucoa has been a mostly agricultural town, with significant plantain and banana production throughout its expansive valley. Until the late 1990s, the town was also home to the Roig Sugar Mill, which harvested sugarcane for table sugar production for decades. While plantain and banana farming remains active, Roig is no longer operating, and over the years, the Lands Authority has requested permission to segregate and sell off portions of the lands once earmarked for sugarcane.

Meanwhile, Western Wind’s proposed project is in line with the government’s plans to diversify energy sources. To that effect, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority has been receiving proposals from several offshore companies looking to build solar and wind energy projects on the island.

The successful development of Western Wind’s Yabucoa proposal still hinges on securing a power purchase agreement with Prepa, interconnection and transmission lines, and financing, among other elements.

Author Details
Author Details
Business reporter with 30 years of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as trade publications in Puerto Rico. My list of former employers includes Caribbean Business, The San Juan Star, and the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, among others. My areas of expertise include telecommunications, technology, retail, agriculture, tourism, banking and most other segments of Puerto Rico’s economy.
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1 Comment

  1. Joeffrey February 23, 2011

    Is there any way to install a Solar Power Queensland but what if you have a solar power so you will need also a generator to store the electricity because when its night time or have a typhoon how can you have a solar power for that electricity but If you are living in Queensland, there has never been a better time to convert your home’s conventional power supply into one that is run by solar power systems. Queensland is located in Australia’s tropical zone and is known to enjoy a great deal of sunshine all year round, which is why converting homes into environmentally-friendly, cost-efficient ones make perfect sense.

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