Independent power producer (IPP), Edra Power Holdings Sdn Bhd, is on track to build its pilot large-scale solar photovoltaic plant in Kedah by early 2018, with a generating capacity of 50 MWac.

Project Kedah Solar, which will bring immense economic spillover benefits to the state, would be undertaken by Edra's wholly-owned unit, Edra Solar Sdn Bhd.

"The Kedah solar plant is expected to generate approximately 80,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year and would be developed over 104 hectares at Bandar Kuala Ketil in Baling, Kedah," Datuk Mark Ling, President and Executive Director of Edra Power, told Bernama today.

He said the development of the solar plant would turn the once agricultural land in Kuala Ketil into an industrial site, thus creating a significant positive impact on the State's economic growth.

Project Kedah Solar would be the first of multiple-utility scale solar photovoltaic power plant with an aggregate capacity of up to 500 megawatts to be developed by Edra pursuant to the conditional award from the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water.

Edra Solar had entered into a land sales and purchase (SPA) agreement in August 2015 with BDB Land Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Bina Darulaman Bhd (BDB) for the acquisition of the said land parcel.

As a Malaysian-based power producer, Edra said, it is committed to develop the local power sector, including the renewable energy sector.

To this end, he said, Edra would maximise local Malaysian content and create skilled jobs for Malaysians through Project Kedah Solar during the construction, operations and maintenance of the project, with engineers, operational and management team comprise predominantly local staff.

Given its significance, Ling said, the Kedah State Government has extended its strong support and cooperation towards the smooth implementation of the project.

The relevant agencies and authorities in the state have granted the necessary approvals to enable Edra Solar to proceed with the project.

Conditions precedent to the SPA have been fulfilled and Edra Solar has been granted vacant possession by BDB Land for it to proceed with site works.

Edra Solar has also already obtained the full planning approval from Baling District Council to commence site works, he said.

The clean solar electricity will avoid 36,000 tons of carbon emissions per year, thereby supporting the government's initiative to reduce the generation of greenhouse gases, he said.

Going forward, he said, Edra hopes to explore further working collaborations with BDB and Kedah in identifying potential sites from its current and future landbank, for development of new solar farms in the state that will help contribute towards the government's green programme.

Edra is one of South-East Asia's leading IPPs, controlling a diversified portfolio of quality power generation assets across a range of technologies.

The group has a portfolio of 13 power and desalination plants in Malaysia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, with a total net generating capacity of 5,529 MW and a water desalination capacity of 16 million imperial gallons per day.

Edra is the second largest IPP in Malaysia and Bangladesh and is the largest IPP group operating in Egypt.

Edra is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power Corp, which is a leading nuclear energy company in the world with investments in more than 25-gigawatt clean and renewable energy projects, including wind, solar, hydro, gas-fired, efficient coal-fired and fuel-cell powered projects in China, South Korea, Singapore, UK, France and Australia.

-- BERNAMA