Greece’s Public Power Corporation (PPC) has launched the second phase of its major 490 MW solar power project in Megalopoli, marking a significant step in the country’s transition from coal to renewable energy. Located in southern Greece, the site was formerly home to one of the country’s key lignite mining operations, now being repurposed as a clean energy hub.
The newly initiated 125 MW phase has been awarded to Terna through an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract. This phase will involve the installation of approximately 215,000 bifacial solar modules on the grounds of the decommissioned Megalopoli coal mine. Electricity from the facility will be transmitted to the national grid via a new high-voltage substation connected to existing infrastructure.
The first 125 MW segment of the project is already under construction and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The final 240 MW phase is set to begin in 2026. Once fully operational, the entire solar complex is projected to produce around 860 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually—enough to power approximately 215,000 homes.
PPC Renewables, the utility’s green energy arm, already operates a 50 MW solar plant in the area. With the completion of the Megalopoli complex, PPC’s total installed solar capacity at the site will rise to 540 MW.
This initiative mirrors PPC’s broader shift toward renewables, including a similar transformation in Ptolemaida where lignite plants have also been replaced by solar infrastructure. These projects reinforce the traditional energy-producing regions’ role in shaping Greece’s clean energy future.
PPC aims to nearly double its renewable energy capacity from 6.2 GW today to 11.8 GW by 2027. This growth will be driven by 5.6 GW of new projects across Greece and southeastern Europe between 2025 and 2027, alongside investments in offshore wind, floating solar, and energy storage systems.