PSEG Solar Source has announced that it will acquire the ERWR Whitcomb Farm Solar project from juwi solar (JSI). The facility, which will now be known as the PSEG Essex Solar Energy Center, has a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Vermont Electric Power Producers (VEEP), Inc., as part of the Vermont Sustainably Priced Energy Enterprise Development (SPEED) program.

During JSI's ownership of the project, it advanced the development work previously performed by Encore Redevelopment, Walden Renewables and Whitcomb-Smith Solar.

The PSEG Essex Solar Energy Center is located roughly 4 miles northeast of Burlington, Vermont and has a nameplate capacity of 3.6MWdc. The acquisition will increase PSEG's Solar Source portfolio to 110 MWdc.

This is PSEG Solar Source's ninth solar project in eight states, including Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas.

"Our solar plants in operation or in development span the United States from Vermont to California and from Ohio to Florida. We are actively working with a number of developers to acquire additional projects to add to our growing portfolio," said Diana Drysdale, president of PSEG Solar Source.

JSI is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project and will operate the facility for PSEG Solar Source upon completion. Construction is expected to begin this month and will be completed later this year. When completed, the facility will feature approximately 12,000 solar photovoltaic panels on a fixed-tilt racking system.

"JSI is proud to build our first solar energy facility in Vermont," noted Michael Martin, president of JSI.

"Given its location within the Whitcomb family property, which has continued to be a productive farming operation since its inception in 1867, this project exemplifies the opportunity to complement agricultural land use with renewable energy generation."