AGL Energy Limited (AGL) has put half capacity of the Broken Hill Solar Plant in western New South Wales online and started generating solar power. Electricity generated by plant will be fed into the National Electricity Market.

26MW of installation capacity gas been put online, representing approximately half of the total 53MW of installation planned for Broken Hill Solar Plant. Over the next few months, all 678,000 PV modules are expected to be installed, and the full operation is scheduled by the end of 2015. When fully operating, the 53MW Broken Hill Plant would produce clean electricity enough for 17,000 local homes. Furthermore, the plant will be the second largest solar power plant in Australia behind its sister 102MW Nyngan Solar Plant.

NSW Minister for Industry Resources and Energy Anthony Roberts has congratulated AGL on its milestone in generating the first 26 MW of renewable energy from its new Broken Hill plant, saying it reinforced NSW's position as the nation's leader in solar power. "Together with its facility at Nyngan, AGL has developed the two largest solar farms in the southern hemisphere here in NSW - valuable assets to our State's power industry and a sign of our commitment to grow a clean and diverse energy supply,” commented Roberts.

The $150 million Broken Hill Solar Plant is located five kilometres southwest of Broken Hill on the Barrier Highway and covers an area of approximately 140 hectares. It enhances AGL’s credential as Australia’s largest ASX listed owner, operator and developer of renewable energy generation with over 1,900 MW of renewable capacity currently in operation or under development.

AGL is constructing the Broken Hill Solar and the newly completed 102 MW Nyngan Solar Plant with $166.7 million funding support from Aistralian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and $64.9 million from the NSW Government, and in partnership with First Solar, local councils, and local communities.