The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to approve construction of a 25-megawatt photovoltaic array in Avra Valley that will become Tucson Electric Power Co.’s largest single source of solar energy.
The supervisors had delayed consideration of the project amid objections voiced by neighbors of the project, which will occupy 305 acres of former farmland owned by Tucson Water.
The system will be built, owned and operated by Fotowatio Renewable Ventures at the northwest corner of Sanders and Emigh Roads.
TEP will buy all of the energy the system produces, enough to power more than 4,500 homes. Construction will begin this fall, and the system is scheduled to be completed by April 2012.
The system will produce nearly $4.5 million in property tax revenues for Pima County over the life of the company’s 20-year power purchase agreement with TEP, the utility said.
People are also reading…
The system also will generate significant lease revenue for Tucson Water, which owns the site. Construction of the array will create 250 to 300 short-term jobs, TEP said.
Once the plant becomes operational, tbetween six and eight security and maintenance workers will be needed to maintain the site, the company said.