Last month, PPC Renewables, the renewables arm of state-controlled Public Power Corporation announced that the construction of its 200 MW solar power plant near Kozani in northern Greece should start by the end of April. Earlier this week, the draft contract for the implementation of large solar project in Kozani developed by PPC, received the approval of the competent parliamentary committee.
Last December, the company selected METKA as the contractor for the construction of the plant, which is a part of a larger project which includes the construction of solar parks in Kozani with total power output of 230 MW. Estimated cost of the project is 130 million euros, of which 110 million is related to the 200 MW power plant. Previously in May, PPC Renewables awarded two contracts for the construction of 15 MW solar power plants in Kozani to METKA and Terna. The two solar power plants will be built on the site of depleted lignite mines of the parent company and their construction should start this summer. PPC Renewables is also progressing with the tender for the construction of a solar park on the depleted coalmine near Megalopoli in Peloponnese, which has attracted high interest. Among local bidders are several engineering companies: Intrakat, Aktor, Avax, GEK Terna and METKA, while international participants include French Voltalia and two Chinese bidders: Dongfang Electric and joint venture of Sunel and Shanghai Electric. In early 2020, PPC Renewables announced that it is planning to build large scale solar projects at its depleted lignite fields in West Macedonia and near Megalopoli, in the Peloponnese. The company already submitted applications to Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) for solar power production permits, with a total capacity of some 1,500 MW. Thus, PPC Renewables would increase its portfolio to up to 4.5 GW.