SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWR) has broken ground on a 13.78 MW solar photovoltaic power system at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California.

The plant is financed through a solar power purchase agreement (PPA) with SunPower. An affiliate of MetLife Inc. purchased the system that SunPower designed and is building. NAWS China Lake will host the system, and buy electricity at prices currently below the retail utility rate. SunPower will operate and maintain the plant when it is completed at the end of 2012.

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