Canadian Solar Inc. (the "Company", or "Canadian Solar"), one of the world's largest solar power companies, announced that it started commercial operation of 52.5 MWp of solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in Japan in the first half of 2017. The 52.5 MWp of plants include the 47.7 MWp Mashiki plant, the 2.4 MWp Yamagata Asahimachi plant, the 1.3 MWp Shizuoka Tashiro plant and the 1.1 MWp Saitama Shiroishi plant.

The Mashiki plant achieved commercial operation in June 2017. Powered by Canadian Solar's high-efficiency MaxPowermodules, the plant is expected to generate approximately 57,000 MWh of clean, solar electricity per year, which will be purchased by Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. under a 20-year feed-in-tariff contract at the rate of JPY36.0 ($0.32) per kWh.

The Yamagata Asahimachi, Shizuoka Tashiro and Saitama Shiroishi plants were connected to the grid in March 2017.  Powered by Canadian Solar's high-efficiency MaxPower modules, these plants are expected to generate around 5,429 MWh of clean, solar electricity per year, which will be purchased under a 20-year feed-in-tariff contract at the rate of JPY32.0 ($0.28), JPY36.0 ($0.32) and JPY27.0 ($0.24) per kWh respectively.

"We are pleased to have energized the 52.5 MWp of solar power plants in Japan. The 47.7 MWp Mashiki plant is the largest solar power plant that we have built there, which brings our total portfolio of projects in operation in Japan to 112.7 MWp," commented Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar Inc., "This is a milestone as we continue to make progress in developing and delivering our high-value solar project pipeline in this important market."