Idaho Public Utilities Commission has approved Energy Sale Agreements with five proposed First Wind solar projects and the Idaho Power Company. The 20-year contracts are for five projects, total 100 MW, spreading across southern Idaho. The projects will provide energy and economic diversity to Ada, Elmore, Owyhee and Power counties.

“We’re excited to announce these agreements for new solar energy in Idaho,” said Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind. “These five projects will deliver clean, renewable solar energy to homes and businesses in Idaho at a cost-competitive price. The new long-term contracts with Idaho Power Company will enable us to move forward quickly and create a source of major economic activity for Idaho through good construction jobs and significant local tax revenues.”

Each project is targeted to be completed by the end of 2016. Taken together, close to USD$10 million in direct property taxes will be generated by the projects over 20 years. The five projects combined are expected to generate approximately 250,000 MW hours annually – enough to power the equivalent of nearly 30,000 homes.

First Wind currently operates four solar projects in Massachusetts, and has additional solar projects in development in Hawaii and Utah. In Idaho, First Wind operates the 45 MW Power County Wind project on behalf of a third-party owner. In addition, its transaction with SunEdison and Terraform Power is expected to close during the first quarter of 2015, subject to usual and customary conditions and regulatory approvals.