Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I I N O. X X I I I O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7 12 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E COMPLETING PROJECTS THROUGHOUT MAINE FOR OVER 50 YEARS CALL US ABOUT YOUR ELECTRICAL PROJECT TODAY! 207-496-1671 NextEra says four solar sites to be operational by 2019 B y M A U R E E N M I L L I K E N NextEra Energy Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is moving forward on four large solar projects in Maine that are expected to be commercially active by 2019. The company acquired Yarmouth-based Ranger Solar's portfolio earlier this year. The Juno Beach, Fla.-based energy company, which says it's the largest wind and solar power company in the world, is developing solar projects in Farmington, Sanford, Fairfi eld and Clinton for completion in the next two years. Ranger Solar develops solar and wind projects, work- ing with communities on locations and moving them for- ward, while NextEra is a "developer, owner and operator of power generation facilities that acquired Ranger's proj- ect pipeline," said NextEra spokesman Steven Stengel. Also included in the acquisition was the 100-mega- watt project at the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone. At the time the Limestone project was announced last October, it was billed as the biggest in New England. It is expected to bring 300 construc- tion jobs to Aroostook County while it is being built. Stengel said that the Limestone project, while a priority, is not as far along as the other four. All of the projects were initially developed by Ranger Solar. Along with nine other Ranger Solar projects in New England, they were acquired by NextEra in late spring, when it bought Ranger's "project pipeline," Stengel said. The Farmington project, on 600 acres of farmland on U.S. Route 2 and could generate up to 75 mega- watts of energy, is still in the permitting progress. The Sanford project, at the Sanford Seacoast Regional Airpor t, will produce 50 megawatts. Construction is expected to start on the project late this year or early next year. The two others, on U.S. Route 201 in Fairfi eld and on Winslow Road in Clinton, are planned for 20 mega- watts, which could power up to 7,000 homes each. The energy has already been sold to a Connecticut com- pany, offi cials have said. Those projects are expected to create 185 construction jobs. Stengel said Sanford and the three central Maine projects are expected to be in commercial operation by the end of 2019. The Sanford project is on land leased from the city. It is expected to provide enough electricity to power up to 20,000 homes, the company said last year. The fi rst phase, slated to begin by the end of this year, will provide between $60 million and $80 million of new taxable property, Mainebiz reported last year. The project will create approximately 94 construc- tion jobs and up 10 full-time positions, said Aaron Svedlow last fall when he was director of environmental permitting for Ranger. He is now a Yarmouth-based solar development project direct with NextEra. Elsewhere in Maine, NextEra owns and operates Wyman Station on Cousins Island in Yarmouth, as well as South Portland's Cape Station, both oil-burning plants. It also owns the Seabrook nuclear power plant in New Hampshire. While it has 32 operating solar power facilities in nine states, as well as Spain and Ontario, the fi ve that are in the planning process are its fi rst in Maine. The company also has more than 100 wind-generating plants across the country, but none in Maine. It at one time owned 19 hydro-electric generating dams in Maine, but sold them to Brookfi eld in 2013. B R I E F NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida- based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of based with a wide range of energy facilities, will develop solar projects in Farmington, Sanford, Fairfield and Clinton.

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