Kruger Energy Dedicates Zacapa Solar Facility and Announces Expansion Project That Will Double Its Installed Capacity

Rio Hondo, Zacapa, March 18, 2025 – Kruger Energy held an official ceremony today to dedicate Zacapa Solar and to announce an expansion project that will double the solar farm’s installed capacity, from 9 to 18 MW. The expansion will be conducted in two phases to be completed by 2028, adding a total of 20,000 solar panels.

The ceremony was held at the Zacapa Solar site, which is adjacent to the GrandBay PAINSA tissue plant, in Rio Hondo, Guatemala. In attendance were His Excellency Olivier Jacques, Ambassador of Canada to Guatemala; Oscar Ernesto Mata, Mayor of Rio Hondo; César Augusto Paiz Gómez, Mayor of Teculután; Jean Roy, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Kruger Energy; Alexandre Patte, Chief Financial Officer, Kruger Industrial; César Augusto Solano Velandia, Chief Executive Officer of GrandBay Group; as well as many other representatives from the government of Guatemala, Zacapa Solar, the Kruger Company, and project partners.

An Award-Winning Project

Zacapa Solar was built to supply power exclusively to the local tissue plant under a 35-year agreement with GrandBay PAINSA, which leases the solar facility from Kruger Energy. Zacapa Solar is the largest behind-the-meter distributed solar generation project in Guatemala. It was commissioned in 2022 following investments totalling US$13.6M from Kruger Energy Inc. and its financial partners.

Currently, the site comprises 20,544 ground-mounted and rooftop solar panels. The facility is connected directly to the tissue mill’s substation and reduces the mill’s energy consumption from the grid by approximately 16 GWh per year, replacing it with renewable energy. By the end of the expansion project, the number of solar panels will have reached 40,544 and the mill’s yearly energy consumption from the grid will be reduced by approximately 32.4 GWh.

Zacapa Solar was also awarded by Solar Builder as one of its Projects of the Year – Editor’s Choice Award in the Emissions Impact category, in recognition of its contribution to Guatemala’s efforts to transition to more sustainable energy sources.

Quotes:

“For Canada, the commercial relationship with Guatemala is vital. Projects like Zacapa Solar, which combine innovation and technology, strengthen our ties and promote job creation and local economic development. Supporting foreign investment drives Guatemala’s economic growth and offers more employment opportunities, especially outside the metropolitan area.”
– His Excellency Olivier Jacques, Ambassador of Canada to Guatemala

 

“Kruger Energy is proud to have successfully delivered this project which aligned perfectly with our goal of contributing to a better planet through sustainable projects that benefit local communities. By 2028, our expansion project will double Zacapa Solar’s capacity and bring us all a step further on our renewable energy journey.”
–  Jean Roy, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Kruger Energy

“The creation of this park is an achievement that goes beyond numbers and infrastructure. Through international cooperation, concerted efforts and a clear strategy, we have effectively overcome challenges and generated innovative solutions, positioning Guatemala as a leader in renewable energy. I would like to thank our strategic partners in Canada, whose expertise and technology have been instrumental in the success of this project.” 
– César Augusto Solano Velandia, Chief Executive Officer of GrandBay Group

About Kruger Energy

Kruger Energy is a business unit of Kruger Inc. and specializes in the development and management of renewable energy power plants. Kruger Energy manages and operates 47 production sites across North America, ranging from hydroelectric, wind, solar, energy storage, and biomass cogeneration plants, with a total installed capacity of 650 MW.

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INFORMATION:
Paule Veilleux-Turcotte
Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
Kruger Inc.
Tel.: 514-402-9616
paule.veilleux-turcotte@kruger.com