OGE Energy — a subsidiary of electric utility company Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (OG&E) — and SunPower announced Tuesday that they have signed a contract to build a 10MW PV project in Covington, Oklahoma.

Construction on the PV installation is set to begin in August 2017.

OG&E chief operating officer Keith Mitchell noted: "The Covington project is a continuation of our successful pilot initiative, which launched with a 2.5MW solar facility in Mustang, Oklahoma, in 2015."

As part of the deal, SunPower will design and build a SunPower Oasis power plant at the Covington site. The Oasis system is a complete power plant solution that features a quick install and 50% fewer parts than conventional solar plant systems.

Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO, added: "At the 80-acre site, SunPower Oasis Power Plant technology and SunPower P-Series solar panels will optimize the cost-competitive solar power generated for OG&E customers. We commend OG&E for its commitment to including solar in its energy mix, and for selecting high performance SunPower technology to ensure reliable, long-term return on investment."

SunPower will provide operations and maintenance services at the site once the project begins commercial operation, which is expected to begin in early 2018. Once completed, the Covington solar plant is expected to generate enough electricity to serve the needs of 1,000 average homes in Oklahoma.