Silicon Ranch Begins Construction of New Solar Facility for PVREA
3.5MWAC solar plant is the fourth for Silicon Ranch & PVREA partnership
Construction contractor McCarthy plans to secure local subcontractors and craftsmen
KERSEY, Colo. June 13, 2017 – Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) and Silicon Ranch Corporation today announced that construction of a new 3.5 megawatt (MWAC) solar facility is underway in the Town of Kersey, Colorado. The 30-acre facility will feature technology to allow more than 40,000 solar panels to track the sun from east to west and will provide enough low-cost, renewable power to help serve more than 600 PVREA households annually.
Silicon Ranch, one of the nation’s largest independent solar power producers, will fund, own, operate, and maintain the solar farm. PVREA, a rural electric cooperative serving more than 40,000 consumer-members across three counties in Northern Colorado, will receive all the energy it produces at cost-competitive rates over the life of the contract. Silicon Ranch has selected McCarthy Building Companies, one of the largest American-owned construction firms, to build the facility. McCarthy has an office in Denver and plans to hire local subcontractors and craftsmen to provide the bulk of on-site construction work for the project, which is expected to last approximately three months.
The solar farm will be the fourth project developed by the PVREA and Silicon Ranch partnership. In December 2015, the pair commissioned two 4MWAC facilities: Valley View Solar in Greeley and Skylark Solar near Severance, followed by a 2MWAC expansion at the Skylark site. McCarthy served as the general contractor for each facility.
The solar farm announced today will be located on the northwest corner of County Road 55 and Latham Street in Kersey. The project site is just south of the Platte Valley High School, and Silicon Ranch and PVREA are partnering with the school to create educational opportunities for students to learn more about the role solar energy plays in a diversified energy mix. As a tribute to the special partnership, the team has named the facility the Platte Valley Solar Farm.
PVREA President and CEO Jeff Wadsworth said, "The construction of this large scale solar project at a location near our existing infrastructure allows us to obtain renewable energy at a competitive price. It fits within our overall power supply strategy to diversify our generation resources, and it is a project that all members benefit from regardless of location or income level.”
Silicon Ranch President and CEO Matt Kisber said, “Silicon Ranch is proud to expand the long-term partnership we have with Poudre Valley REA to provide its members with low-cost, renewable power. Furthermore, as long-term owners of our projects, Silicon Ranch takes great pride in being active members in the communities we serve. We are grateful for the support we have received from the Town of Kersey and are thrilled to be long-term members of the local community.”
“McCarthy is honored to continue this partnership with Silicon Ranch and PVREA,” said Kevin Williams, senior vice president for McCarthy’s Colorado operations. “With each project we complete, we enhance our process for installing utility-scale projects like the Platte Valley Solar Farm, thereby improving our ability to deliver quality projects in a timely manner.”
PVREA members and the general public can view more information on the project at www.pvrea.com/LocalSolar.
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About Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA)
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving more than 40,000 consumer-members in Boulder, Larimer, and Weld Counties in Northern Colorado. More information is available at www.pvrea.com.
About Silicon Ranch Corporation
Silicon Ranch Corporation, based in Nashville, Tenn., is one of the fastest-growing developers, owners, and operators of solar energy plants in the U.S. Silicon Ranch develops to own all of its projects for the long-term and brings the economic, environmental, and community benefits of commercial and utility-scale solar energy together in a full-service model that requires no capital investment from its stakeholders. Silicon Ranch benefits from the experience of its management team that has built over 2.5 gigawatts of conventional and renewable generation assets, including the first large-scale solar projects in Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Silicon Ranch is a Platinum Associate member of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. More information is available at www.siliconranchcorp.com.
About McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with more than 150 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 16th largest domestic general contractor (Engineering News-Record, May 2016). With approximately 1,700 salaried employees and offices in St. Louis, Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Portage, Ind.; Kansas City, Kan.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Dallas, Houston; Albuquerque; and San Diego, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.
Contacts
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association
Amy Blunck
1-800-432-1012
Silicon Ranch Corporation
Matt Beasley
615-577-4616
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. Media
Sarah Hogan
Barefoot PR
303-589-1303
[email protected]