Energy, Utilities & Water  January 22, 2025

ContourGlobal acquires solar array in Severance

SEVERANCE — London-based ContourGlobal Ltd., a 20-year-old independent power producer based in London, has acquired a solar-energy portfolio that includes the Black Hollow Solar array in Severance.

Ground was broken last July for the array, which is being built by Irvine, California-based Qcells USA Corp.

When it reaches full operation by 2027, the 1,400-acre solar array will generate enough energy to keep the lights on in 63,000 homes in Northern Colorado, edging the Platte River Power Authority closer to its goal of zero-carbon energy generation by 2030. It will feed into a Severance substation capable of handling 400 megawatts of generation with the potential for transfer capability of up to 1 gigawatt with additional transmission lines, according to PRPA documents.

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The transaction between ContourGlobal and Qcells, also including units in Virginia, totals 446 megawatts of peak generation.

“This transaction allows us to maintain momentum in our U.S. renewable growth, nearing 1.2 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity,” Antonio Cammisecra, CEO of ContourGlobal, said in a prepared statement. “It also meaningfully accelerates the start of our commercial operations to the first half of this year. We are proud of this milestone and delighted that our partnership with Qcells will also enable us to integrate their U.S.-produced solar technology into these acquired projects.”

Construction on the Virginia project is expected to begin next year.

“We are proud to support ContourGlobal’s U.S. expansion,” IP Kim, Qcells’ president, said in a news release. “This transaction showcases Qcells’ differentiated capabilities as a ‘total energy

solutions provider’ to bring projects from development into operations. We are excited to explore other opportunities where Qcells’ full suite of capabilities can deliver value to partners like ContourGlobal.”

Black Hollow will provide electricity to PRPA, a community-owned public power generation and transmission utility, under a long-term power-purchase agreement. The first phase of the project, currently under construction, is a plant that will generate a peak of 185 megawatts, with the start of commercial operation scheduled for the first half of this year. The second phase will bring an additional peak of 139 megawatts by 2026.

The agreement provides that Qcells will continue to be responsible for construction of the projects, which will include solar panels produced by the company at its facilities in Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia. Qcells has one of the largest solar-panel manufacturing facilities in the

Western Hemisphere.

London-based ContourGlobal Ltd., a 20-year-old independent power producer based in London, has acquired a solar-energy portfolio that includes Platte River Power Authority’s Black Hollow Solar array in Severance.

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With BizWest since 2012 and in Colorado since 1979, Dallas worked at the Longmont Times-Call, Colorado Springs Gazette, Denver Post and Public News Service. A Missouri native and Mizzou School of Journalism grad, Dallas started as a sports writer and outdoor columnist at the St. Charles (Mo.) Banner-News, then went to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before fleeing the heat and humidity for the Rockies. He especially loves covering our mountain communities.
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