The project in Bahia is the third over 100 MW to break ground in Brazil in the last six months. Investment in the project stands at around US$175 million.

Enel Green Power (EGP) has begun construction of a 158 MW PV plant in the Brazilian state of Bahia, according to a press release. The company will invest around US$175 million in the project.

This is the second large project on which EGP has begun construction in Brazil, and the third project in Brazil above 100 MW on which ground has been broken in the last six months. EGP announced last December that it had begun work on a 254 MW project which is also located in Bahia and which it expects to put into service by the end of 2017.

Commercial operation for the new Lapa solar project is planned for the second half of 2017. The project consists of two blocks, an 80 MW in Bom Jesus de Lapa and a 78 MW block in Lapa. The plant is forecast to generate 340 megawatt-hours annually.

Both parks will be built within the framework of awards in national auctions specifically for solar PV. In these auctions EGP secured 20-year contracts to sell electricity for both projects.

EGP was awarded the Lapa project in the second national solicitation for solar which has been conducted in Brazil. This auction took place in August 2015, and in it Enel secured contracts for a total of 553 MW of projects. Since this date Brazil has held three solicitations for solar, in which it has awarded 3 GW of projects.