planned installed capacity of the Collinsville Solar Farm, located at a site adjacent to RATCH’s retired Collinsville coal fired plant.

of electricity will be generated per year.

approximate number of households that can be powered by the farm each year.

estimated reduction in CO2 emissions each year, once the farm is operational.

hectares of land will be used for the solar farm.

solar modules will be used.

major organisations involved: Project Developer: RATCH - Australia Corporation, EPC and O&M: UGL Limited, Distributor: Alinta Energy

project cost. $9.5 million grant from the ARENA. $60 million debt funding from CEFC.

peak jobs during construction phase. This are jobs badly needed in the region impacted by the closure of the coal plant.

FTE during operational phase.

PPA signed with Alinta Energy to buy 70% of the PV farm’s electricity and large-scale generation certificates until the end of 2030.

Project reached financial close by securing a $60 million commitment from the Clean Energy Finance Corp.

CIMIC Group company UGL awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts to design and build the Collinsville Solar Farm. In addition, UGL will provide operation and maintenance (O&M) services for 5 years. Contract value: $83 million over 13 months.

Ratch announced that it had broken ground on the solar farm.

A fleet of excavators, bulldozers, graders, cranes, trucks and trenchers transforming close to 70 hectares surrounding the old power station to accommodate the installation of 169,000 PV solar panels and more than 550 kilometres of cabling over summer. Activity is currently concentrated on civil construction, earthworks and other preparatory activities as well as expanding the existing Ergon substation next to the old power station.

The first batch of solar panels have been switched on as part of a staged testing and commissioning process ahead of the $100 million project achieving full commercial operation in September.