NRG Solar along with its partner MidAmerican Solar has completed the 290MW Agua Caliente solar photovoltaic (PV) facility in Arizona.

Located on 2,400 acres of land between Yuma and Phoenix, the project was designed and built by First Solar using its thin-film PV modules. Electricity generated from the facility will be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) under a 25-year power purchase agreement.

The project has secured a $967m loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office and has created around 400 jobs during the construction.

NRG Solar said that the facility is estimated to avoid annual emission of approximately 324,000t of CO2 into the atmosphere.

First Solar will operate and maintain the facility for NRG and MidAmerican Solar.

NRG Solar president Tom Doyle said, “Large-scale utility accomplishments, like our Agua Caliente project, raise the bar in terms of our clean-energy technology and production.

“Proving that we can build both the world’s largest solar thermal and now one of the world’s largest solar photovoltaic facilities advance NRG’s mission to reshape the energy landscape that is incredibly beneficial to both the economy and in how we produce and consume energy.”

“Whether it’s partnering, developing or investing, NRG will lead the way in providing a diverse set of solutions and technologies to get the US to the ultimate goal of providing affordable, reliable clean energy for everyone,” Doyle added.