APS to buy solar from new projects

Two more Arizona solar-panel arrays were announced Thursday, joining a growing list of at least 15 similar projects being developed to serve the state's major utilities. Dozens of other projects have been proposed statewide but haven't signed contracts for their power output or plan to sell their power out of state. The latest announcements show a growing focus among Arizona's three major utilities on solar photovoltaics, or solar panels, rather than wind, biomass or solar-thermal projects to help meet their renewable-energy requirements. Arizona Public Service Co. agreed to buy the energy from the two newest projects, one in Hyder, east of Yuma, and one in Chino Valley, north of Prescott. APS already has plans to get power from similar solar-panel arrays at Luke Air Force Base and in Gila Bend, where a much larger solar-thermal plant using a different technology has been delayed. All four photovoltaic projects are part of APS' $500 million AZ Sun plan approved by utility regulators. Salt River Project is building a $75 million solar-panel array in the southeast Valley, which the utility said Thursday has broken ground.

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