CIMIC Group company UGL has been awarded engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts to design and build two new solar farms.
The two EPC contracts – for the Collinsville Solar Farm in Queensland and the White Rock Solar Farm in New South Wales – will generate combined revenue for UGL of $117 million.
In addition, UGL will provide operation and maintenance (O&M) services at both solar farms.
CIMIC Group Chief Executive Officer Adolfo Valderas said: “With these contracts, UGL has been awarded a total of nine solar farm projects, making it one of the most awarded contractors for utility-scale solar projects in Australia.
“With such a diverse portfolio of solar projects, UGL is driving innovation and firmly positioned as the leader in the renewable energy market.”
UGL Managing Director Juan Santamaria said: “UGL’s early involvement with our customers, true end-to-end capabilities, and technical expertise are strong market differentiators.
“We have a proven track record in the design and delivery of solar farms, and this has been instrumental in securing these opportunities.
“We have established a national operational control and monitoring centre to support the company’s increasing portfolio of utility scale solar farm O&M contracts.”
The Australian Government, through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), a statutory authority established by the Australian Government, is contributing $60 million in finance to support the construction of the Collinsville Solar Farm.
Further, the Australian Government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing $5.4 million funding to support the construction of White Rock Solar Farm and $9.5 million funding to support the construction of Collinsville Solar Farm.
At the Collinsville Solar Farm, UGL will supply Ratch Australia with EPC and testing, generating revenue of $83 million over 13 months. The contract also involves O&M services for five years. The project will diversify the Queensland power supply network and provide a major source of renewable energy for northern Queensland. The project is expected to generate enough energy to power 15,000 homes.
At the White Rock Solar Farm, UGL will supply Goldwind with EPC and commissioning, generating revenue of $34.2 million over nine months. It also involves O&M for two years, with a one-year extension option. The White Rock development is a pioneering hybrid solar/wind renewable energy facility for the New England Tablelands, expected to generate 46,000 megawatt hours of electricity, enough to supply the equivalent of 7,200 average New South Wales homes.