Sep 16 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Arlene Martinez The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.

PPL Renewable Energy is getting ready to build a large-scale solar project in New Jersey, a facility that eventually would toss enough electricity onto the grid to power several thousand homes, company officials said Monday.

Officials touted the project as part of the answer to lessening the company's production of energy generated by fossil fuels.

It also helps PPL meet a mandate that some of its energy come from renewable and alternative sources, including the sun.

The facility will be built on 50 acres PPL owns in White Township, Warren County, near its power plant in Martins Creek. When the first phase is completed, later this year or early in 2009, officials project, it will generate five megawatts of power -- enough to power the equivalent of 1,500 homes, the company said.

"The benefit is these five megawatts is five megawatts that we don't have to produce using a fossil fuel. It's bringing more alternative energy" to the market, PPL Renewable Energy spokeswoman Lissette Santana said.

PPL Renewable Energy is a subsidiary of PPL Corp., which has said it will invest $100 million in alternative energy through 2011.

By the time the project is completed, it's expected to produce 50 megawatts of power.

The facility is one of several solar projects PPL has going on. It has put solar panels on two Macy's stores in New Jersey and at the Philadelphia Eagles' training complex.

The energy those projects generate reduces a portion of those businesses' electricity use.

Altogether, PPL's current alternative energy projects produce enough to power 24,000 homes.

PPL is working with White Township to get necessary approvals for the multi-million dollar project.

"We're committed to alternative energy and bringing more renewable energy to the region," Santana said.

arlene.martinez@mcall.com

610-820-6530