Voltalia has started construction of the 320MW SSM1&2 solar project, which is located in the Serra Branca cluster in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The project is supported by five long-term power-sales contracts with an average duration of 16 years.
SSM1&2 was originally announced as a 32MW project, but it was later expanded tenfold with the support of new long-term contracts signed with multiple buyers.
Voltalia has signed a corporate PPA with petrochemical company Braskem, and a utility PPA with Copel, its long-term partner. Since 2015, Copel is also an investor in Voltalia’s SMG wind farm and has committed to purchase its wind farms VSM 2 and 4 in May this year.
The SSM1&2 solar project is scheduled to be commissioned in the first half of next year and is expected to become the largest solar project of Voltalia in the world.