U.S. Virgin Islands solar project ruined by hurricane to be replaced using stronger design

Enertis Applus+ announced it’s consulting BMR Energy on Donoe Solar, a 6.4-MW project in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The facility is expected to be completed and enter service in the fourth quarter of this year and will sell the power it generates to the Virgin Island Power and Water Authority (VIWAPA) under a newly negotiated 25-year Power Purchase Agreement.

The facility will be constructed on the site of a former solar facility that experienced significant damage during the devastating 2017 hurricane season. BMR agreed to acquire the site of the original solar farm in 2019 and closed on that purchase in the summer of 2020. The new facility incorporates several design and construction features to increase the strength and resilience of the equipment to withstand future windstorms.

The project has been designed with strengthened racking, foundations and module connection systems to withstand wind speeds up to 180 mph.

“After Hurricane Irma destroyed the plant nearly four years ago, our team was eager to fully understand the failures of the prior design and installation and build it back stronger,” said Bruce Levy, CEO of BMR Energy. “We’ve considered design recommendations from experts throughout the industry and conducted wind tunnel tests on all systems and equipment. With this resilient design, the facility will be able to deliver reliable, clean energy to the local community for decades to come.”

News item from Enertis Applus+

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Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/09/solar-project-ruined-by-hurricane-to-be-replaced-using-stronger-design/