Bouygues Thai and Bouygues Energies & Services, two subsidiaries of Bouygues Construction, have signed ⁽¹⁾ a contract worth around $50 million (approx. €38 million) for the design, construction and maintenance of three photovoltaic power plants in the Tak and Sukhothai provinces of north-east Thailand for Soleq Solar Thailand, a solar energy producer.

In all, the three solar farms will be equipped with more than 100,000 photovoltaic panels over 60 hectares and will deliver annual production of approximately 45 gigawatt-hours (GWh), equivalent to the annual consumption of the households in a Thai city of 90,000 people. Each site will have peak power of 10 megawatts (MW).

Bouygues Energies & Services and Bouygues Thai will be responsible for operating and maintaining the solar farms for a period of 5 years.

The design and construction works, which will involve 450 people onsite at peak periods, will begin next month. Handover is scheduled for the end of 2013.

With rapidly growing energy needs, Thailand is one of the most promising markets in Asia for the renewable energies sector. The country's government has set itself the target of covering 25% of the territory's energy consumption with renewable energies by 2021.

Bouygues Construction won the contract by emphasising the complementary nature of its specialist design-build skills and its energy operation and maintenance services. Its experience in Asia, where it has been active for several decades, was also a decisive factor.

The Group is currently engaged on building several large residential complexes in Thailand, as well as the country's highest skyscraper, which will stand 314 metres tall.

⁽¹⁾ subject to Soleq Solar Thailand obtaining finance.