NIPSCO, Capital Dynamics sign PPA for 280-MW of Gibson Solar project

Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO), signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement with the Clean Energy Infrastructure (CEI) business of Capital Dynamics for 280 MW of the power generated by a CEI-owned greenfield solar project called Gibson Solar. This is one of two projects being developed by CEI in Gibson County, Indiana. Arevon Energy Management and Tenaska are co-developing this project and were instrumental in the signing of the PPA.

The Gibson Solar project is one of 19 projects that Capital Dynamics acquired from Tenaska in November 2018 and April 2019, and is located on approximately 2,400 acres in southern Indiana. The project is currently in the development stage with construction expected to start in 2022, and commercial operation anticipated in 2023.

“This is one of the largest solar projects located east of the Mississippi, and the Gibson project will be an important contributor to the on-going energy transition in Indiana,” said Benoit Allehaut, managing director of Capital Dynamics Clean Energy Infrastructure.

NIPSCO’s plan: Eight renewable energy projects have previously been announced by NIPSCO, which include a combination of similar purchase power agreements and joint ventures, as part of its customer-centric “Your Energy, Your Future” generation transition plan. The company plans to be coal-free by 2028, adding a combination of cleaner energy sources to its existing portfolio of natural gas and hydroelectric generation.

NIPSCO will request the addition of these new projects to its supply portfolio in filings with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The company expects to announce additional renewable projects in the coming months.

“We are proud to partner with Capital Dynamics on the Gibson purchase power agreement,” said Mike Hooper, NIPSCO president. “The addition of this homegrown Indiana solar energy project is the next step in our innovative and gradual transition to lower-cost, cleaner energy for our customers.”

— Solar Builder magazine

[source: https://solarbuildermag.com/financing/nipsco-capital-dynamics-sign-ppa-for-280-mw-of-gibson-solar-project/]