MidAmerican Solar and First Solar have installed the first PV solar panel at Topaz Solar Farms, marking the beginning of installation of an estimated total of 9 million PV panels. Once all the panels are installed, the project will reach a total of 550 MW of capacity.

The Topaz solar project is expected to generate enough electrical energy annually to supply about 160,000 average homes in California. It will be owned by MidAmerican Solar, as announced in late 2011, and operated and maintained by First Solar. Completion is expected by early 2015. All electricity generated by the power plant will be bought by PG&E for 25 years, under a power purchase agreement.

[source: MidAmerican Solar]