Spanish energy company Iberdrola has inaugurated the Fenix photovoltaic plant, a 243 MW facility located in the Sicilian provinces of Catania and Enna.

With the commissioning of the project, Iberdrola surpasses the previous largest operating photovoltaic plant in Italy, a 170 MW project located in Viterbo in the Lazio region, which had set the national benchmark for utility-scale PV capacity until now.

The Fenix plant is located in the municipalities of Centuripe, Paternò and Belpasso and has an annual generation capacity of around 400 GWh. The electricity produced is largely intended for the Italian market through long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). The facility comprises approximately 413,000 bifacial PV modules, as well as a 26 km medium-voltage network and 9 km of high-voltage lines.

The project is built on land affected by desertification processes, according to Iberdrola. Mitigation and environmental compensation measures cover around 400 hectares and include sustainable rainwater management and the planting of around 60,000 native plants. The cleaning system is integrated with an environmental monitoring system for soil conditions and microclimate control.

Construction of the plant began in March 2024 following an agreement with ib vogt. Around 500 workers were involved during the construction phase, corresponding to approximately 600,000 work hours.

The project was financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB), with a guarantee from Italy’s export credit agency and financial insurance institution SACE.