Vena completes 95MW solar project in South Australia

Vena Energy Australia has completed a 95MW solar project at Tailem Bend, 100 kilometres southeast of Adelaide in South Australia.The AU$200 million (US$139 million) project first started feeding energy to the grid back in February. The off-taker for the project is New South Wales-based utility Snowy Hydro, which has signed a 22-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the entire output of the solar plant. This will be enacted through Snowy Hydro's Lumo Energy branch, whose jurisdiction includes South Australia.The 390,000-module plant took a year to build across 280 hectares, employing more than 250 workers during the peak construction period.With more than half the workers employed coming from the local area, Vena Energy Australia’s managing director, Anil Nangia, said: “We’ve found the best project outcomes are delivered when you involve local contractors and suppliers wherever possible.”