SAN PEDRO, CA-The Port of Los Angeles has completed a71,500-square-foot, one-megawatt power plant on the roof of theWorld Cruise Center here that is the first of a multiple-locationsystem designed to produce 10 megawatts. The new solar plant iscapable of generating approximately 1.2 million kilowatt hours ofelectricity annually to the Los Angeles Department of Water andPower.

The solar photovoltaic installation, which is expected to resultin an annual $200,000 energy cost savings, is the first phase of amulti-location, $10.8-million solar power program that will includea total of 1.16 million square feet of rooftop solar panels, largerthan the size of a football field. Three additional project phasesare slated for completion over the next five years.

Over the solar system's lifetime, it will reduce roughly 22,800metric tons of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, theequivalent of cutting the annual greenhouse gases of 4,367 cars,according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The system iscomposed of 5,140, 210-watt solar modules. It was installed by theEnergy Alternatives Division of San Jose-based Cupertino ElectricInc.