Abengoa has completed a 206MW solar PV plant, which is claimed to be the world’s largest single-axis photovoltaic plant, in south-east California.

Located in the city of Calexico, the Mount Signal Solar PV plant will supply power to around 72,000 households in San Diego and its surrounding area, preventing the emission of 356,000t of CO2/year into the atmosphere. The company will not retain an interest in the constructed assets.

Under the contract worth $365m, Abengoa was responsible for the engineering, construction and commissioning of the plant for Silver Ridge Power.

The project is spread across 801 hectares and consists of more than three million photovoltaic modules that rotate on a north-south axis tracking the path of the sun.

During the construction process, Abengoa signed agreements with various local firms in order to boost economic development in the region.

At its peak, the project created more than 700 direct jobs in the area, most of which were filled by local residents. The company constructed and commissioned the plant in a record 16 months.

Abengoa is currently carrying out various projects in EE.UU., an area that accounts for 28% of its business. These include Solana, the world’s largest parabolic trough plant that has been operating since last year; Mojave, a 280MW solar-thermal plant that will be operating mid of this year; and a new photovoltaic project in California for EDP Renováveis.