Swedish solar developer Alight has obtained a grid connection for its 100 MW solar project in Eurajoki, western Finland. Construction is expected to start later this year.
Swedish solar developer Alight has signed a grid connection agreement with Caruna, a Finnish independent power producer and grid operator, to connect a 100 MW solar park in western Finland.
The plant, located in Eurajoki, is one of the biggest under development in Finland and has also received a building permit from the local municipality. The site covers 123 hectares and will have enough capacity to meet the annual electricity consumption of around 20,000 homes. Construction of the facility will start later this year and it is expected to be operational in early 2026.
A spokesperson for Alight told pv magazine the timeline from signing a land lease agreement to signing the grid connection agreement, which signals the project has reached the ready-to-build stage, was 13 months.
Alight Deputy CEO Warren Campbell said the project is one the company’s most mature in Finland.
“We are well on our way to reaching our goal of 1.5 GW of solar projects under development by the end of 2024, and as a next step, we will sign a power purchase agreement with a company committed to buying the clean electricity, making the solar park financially viable,” Campbell added.
Earlier this month, Alight announced plans to install 90 MW of solar in Harjavalta, south west Finland.
Finland had deployed 900 MW of solar by the end of 2023, up from 664 MW the year prior, according to figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency. In May, seven solar projects totalling 213 MW across the country were given the go ahead after signing grant agreements with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.