AREVA has been awarded a major contract to install a solar thermal addition to CS Energy's coal-fired Kogan Creek power station in Queensland, Australia. This solar boost project, supported by the Australian and Queensland Governments, will be the world's largest solar integration with a coal-fired power station.

Construction of the AU$ 104.7 million (around euros 76 million) solar addition is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2011, with commercial operation planned for 2013.

Adding solar energy to the Kogan Creek power station will increase its output by up to 44 megawatts in peak solar conditions to the current 750 megawatts and will avoid the production of 35,600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

CS Energy's Chief Executive, David Brown, said: "We are proud to be working with AREVA Solar, and applying its Australian-pioneered technology to a project that has the potential to set the international benchmark for the generation of cleaner electricity from existing coal-fired power stations."

"The Kogan Creek solar boost project demonstrates CS Energy's confidence in our solar technology. It is a key step in our strategy to become the world leader in concentrated solar power solutions", highlighted Anil Srivastava, CEO of AREVA Renewables.