MPower moves to full construction of 5MW solar farm in South Australia

The plans of renewable microgrid specialist MPower to develop a series of 5MW grid-connected solar farms continue to make progress, with a new EPC contract inked for one of its South Australia projects.

MPower said on Tuesday that it would procede with the full design and construction of a 5MWAC solar farm in South Australia with a subsidiary of Astronergy Solar, after executing an Engineering, Procurement and Construction contract valued at over $4 million.

MPower, itself a Tag Pacific subsidiary, began early works on two 5MW solar farms in South Australia in late January, having secured Limited Notices to Proceed for the projects it is developing with Astronergy.

The Notices included preliminary designs and associated activities to an initial value of $0.5 million, while MPower and Astroenergy prepared to execute full Engineering, Procurement and Construction contracts for the projects, worth a combined $8-9 million.

MPower said it was also working with Astronergy towards an EPC contract for the second solar farm and that, in the interim, the value of authorised work under the Limited Notice to Proceed for that project had increased from $125,000 to $500,000.

MPower said the two new projects – which follow last year’s commissioning of two 5MW solar farms at Mannum and Port Pirie, also in South Australia – aligned with the company’s plan to target smaller projects that were easier to connect to an increasingly congested grid.

It said the solar farms would feature single-axis tracking technology and were expected to be completed this calendar year.

“Working with a blue chip company like Astronergy on these solar farm projects is very exciting and is directly in line with our stated strategy of pursuing solar farm projects of this size with asset owners,” said MPower’s chief Nathan Wise in comments this week.

“MPower has developed an enviable capability in the successful delivery of 5MW solar farms and continues to strengthen its order book in the growing renewable energy sector.”