Constellation Energy Projects & Services Group, a subsidiary of Baltimore-based Constellation Energy Group, said Thursday it had made its first investment in solar power.
The company built and plans to manage a photovoltaic solar power system in California. The system, a 588,000-watt, roof-mounted power system, began operating this week at the Alcoa Building and Construction Systems' Kawneer manufacturing plant in Vista, Calif., executives said.
 
The system's power is generated by 4,300 solar panels that provide 80 percent of the 200,000 square-foot manufacturing plant's needs during periods of high demand on the electric grid. The system also has 200 solar light tubes installed to supplement the artificial lighting inside the facility.

The system cost about $3 million to develop, a company spokesman said.

Constellation Energy Projects & Services plans to sell the electricity generated at the site to Alcoa (NYSE: AA - News).

Part of parent company Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG - News), the subsidiary is developing solar power systems across the country.