August 21, 2020 – OPG’s new Nanticoke Solar facility, built at a former coal generation site, recently marked the milestone of having generated more than 100,000 MWh of electricity to date.

The 44-MW facility went into service in March 2019. Located near Port Dover on the shores of Lake Erie, the facility was built in partnership with the Six Nations of Grand River Development Corp. and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

Spanning 260 acres, the site consists of 192,431 solar panels, 23 inverters, 16 transformers, and miles of above- and below-ground power cabling.

Maintenance via thermal imaging

“We continue to look at innovative ways to effectively maintain this site,” said Pranav Jindal, Work Centre Manager for Nanticoke Solar.

Earlier this summer, OPG’s contract partner conducted aerial thermal imaging to spot any faulty or out-of-service solar panels. Employing this technology has made for a more efficient and time-saving approach compared to traditional diagnostic testing, says OPG.

The aerial survey found the site is performing optimally more than a year after going into service, with fewer than 0.1% of the PV panels requiring service.

Nanticoke Solar is built on the former site of Nanticoke Generating Station, once Ontario’s largest coal-fired plant.

WATCH Video: OPG demolishes Nanticoke powerhouse.