SIERRA VISTA, Ariz., April 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- E.ON Climate & Renewables (E.ON) Solar broke ground today on its newest 14 megawatt (MW) ac / 18 MW dc solar photovoltaic project at the U.S. Army's Ft. Huachuca. The project will serve about 25 percent of Fort Huachuca's annual electricity requirement.

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) contracted with E.ON for the construction management of the project. TEP has been the Fort's energy service provider for more than 70 years and will own and operate the facility, providing clean renewable energy to the Fort while continuing its long-standing commitment of providing safe, affordable, and reliable energy. 

E.ON and TEP have previously worked together under power purchase agreements for two other solar facilities. "E.ON is honored to be selected by TEP to provide the construction services for the Fort Huachuca project."  said Dr. Christophe Jurczak, CEO of E.ON Global Solar.  "We put our customers first, and are committed to delivering the world class products and services that they demand." 

"This will be the largest solar array in the department of defense on a military installation," according to the Honorable Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment. 

"It has been a positive and productive experience working with the U.S. Army and its Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF) as they integrate solar energy into their important mission at Ft. Huachuca," said Steve Trenholm, Chairman E.ON North America. "We are proud to be a part of it," continued Trenholm.

In a statement, Congressman Ron Barber of Arizona applauded the Fort Huachuca project. "I have solar panels installed on the roof of my home, so I know firsthand the benefits of solar. When an organization as strong as the United States Army makes an investment like this, and brings together an innovative partnership between federal agencies and private industry, it is a powerful message to the rest of the services – and the nation – that solar is a solid investment and an energy source for the future."

"We're very proud to provide Fort Huachuca with a cost-effective solar power resource that will contribute to the base's long-term energy security," said David Hutchens, President and Chief Operating Officer of TEP and its parent company, UNS Energy Corporation (NYSE: UNS). "This new, productive partnership will benefit our customers while helping both the base and TEP make significant progress toward our respective renewable energy goals."

"TEP continues to expand its company-owned solar resources and show its commitment to moving towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy portfolio," said Carmine Tilghman, TEP Senior Director of Wholesale, Fuels and Renewable Resources. "Our partnership with Fort Huachuca offers us an opportunity to continue with our own solar development, while assisting the Army and Fort Huachuca in meeting their own renewable energy goals.  E.ON completes the partnership as the strongest and most economic provider of solar construction management services available for this type of project."

About E.ON
E.ON Climate & Renewables (E.ON).  E.ON is one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies, with annual sales of 122 billion Euros and more than 62,000 employees.
E.ON Climate & Renewables, headquartered in Essen, Germany, is responsible for E.ON's large-scale renewable energy activities. E.ON plays a leading role in the development of the renewable industry worldwide and is already active in onshore and offshore wind, photovoltaic, and concentrating solar power (CSP).
E.ON currently operates over 10 GW of renewable capacity including large hydro. Since its formation in 2007, E.ON has already invested more than 9.5 billion Euros and will continue to expand the share of renewable energy in E.ON's power generation portfolio.
For more information, please visit www.eon.com/renewables.  

About TEP
Tucson Electric Power provides safe, reliable electric service to approximately 413,000 customers in southern Arizona. TEP is a nationally recognized leader in solar energy development. The company is on track to bring more than 200 MW of utility scale solar resources online by the end of 2014, enough to meet the annual electric needs of 42,000 homes. TEP's successful solar track record has earned the company repeated recognition among the Solar Electric Power Association Top 10 Utility Solar Rankings as well as the honor of being named the group's 2012 investor-owned Utility of the Year.  To learn more, visit www.tep.com. For more information about TEP's parent company, UNS Energy (NYSE: UNS), visit www.uns.com. 

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Elon Hasson, External Affairs Director, E.ON North America
503.729.8158

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SOURCE E.ON Climate & Renewables