Cogentrix Energy Acquires SEGS I and II | Renewable Energy News Article

North Carolina, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] Cogentrix Energy, LLC, through its wholly owned subsidiary Cogentrix Solar Services, has closed its acquisition of Sunray Energy Inc., the owner and operator of facilities formerly known as Solar Energy Generation Systems I and II (SEGS I and SEGS II), which were the first two utility-scale solar trough plants built in the world.

The two plants have a 43-megawatt capacity for electricity that is delivered to Southern California Edison (SCE). The plants were completed and placed in service in 1984 and 1985 and are located in San Bernardino County, California. Details of the SEGS I & II acquisition were not disclosed.

Cogentrix says that it plans to make a significant investment in retrofitting and upgrading the delivery capability and reliability of SEGS I and II that use solar trough technology. In solar trough plants, energy from the sun is collected on specially designed mirrors and directed onto glass enclosed collectors where the heat generated is captured and used to produce steam for powering turbine-generators in the production of electricity.

"This acquisition affirms our commitment to renewable energy. Cogentrix has an established track record of investing in, developing, constructing and operating power generation projects throughout the United States. We are now moving forward to deliver these core competencies to the renewable energy sector," said Larry Kellerman, president of Cogentrix.