Greece to Build 200 MW Solar Photovoltaic Plant

Papandreou, Prime Minister of Greece, unveiled the government’s proposal to start a solar project over the abandoned coal mines in Kozani.

The 200 MW capacity power project needs an investment of over 600 million euros. The new solar plant when commissioned will surpass the largest 97 MW solar power plant in Sarnia, Canada.

The plant is proposed in a place near Kozani, a town located at North West part of the country. Public Power, a state-owned Power Company, indicated that tenders will be floated at the international level to identify a strategic partner to make the investment for the project. The proposed project will cover an area of over 520 hectares, which includes the area of closed coal mines. The government has unveiled its plans to commence the project by the year 2011 and complete it in a period of 18 months by 2013.

According to the Prime Minister, the Kozani project will be utilized as a model to promote renewable energy projects in the country and to improve employment opportunities. He added that the project will bring foreign investments to create more job opportunities.