Premier Power begins Bulgaria solar project

El Dorado Hills-based solar power developer Premier Power Renewable Energy Inc. said it has started construction on a new 16.2-megawatt plant in Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria.

The project is scheduled to be completed in this year's second quarter. It's being built on a former coal mine in a joint venture with the engineering/design firm Plaan Czech.

The new plant is part of Premier Power's continued push into Europe, which started with a project in Spain in 2007 and eventually expanded to Italy and then throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Last month, Premier said it will supply solar panels for projects in Denmark.

"Our previous successes in Eastern Europe – a region few others have been able to effectively penetrate – are now enabling us to capture significant market share in Bulgaria," said Bjorn Persson, executive vice president of European operations at Premier Power.