ESP 1 – A Tracker Plant Built for the Mountains

Case Study – ESP 1 - Solar Park

29 MWp · Erseka, Albania · 2024

Project Snapshot

• Capacity: 29 MWp
• Scope: Installation and ongoing maintenance
• Technology: Tracker system by AXIAL
• Scale: 7,743 piles, 48,000+ PV modules, 1,672 strings
• Infrastructure: 360 km DC cabling, 17 km AC cabling, 77 inverters, 6 MV turnkey stations, 800+ trackers

3S Energy was engaged as the EPC/BoS subcontractor and O&M partner to turn a complex, tracker-based design in Erseka into a fully operating asset – and to keep it performing over time.

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The Challenge

1. Complex terrain, tracker technology
   Erseka’s challenging topography required precise civil works and foundation design to support over 800 trackers and thousands of piles, while maintaining optimal angles and alignment across the site.
2. High-density electrical infrastructure
   With 360 km of DC cabling, 17 km of AC lines and 77 inverters, the plant demanded rigorous routing, labeling and quality control to avoid future performance losses or downtime.
3. Tight coordination and long-term responsibility
   3S Energy was not just tasked with installation. We also committed to technical support during operation and maintenance support, so every design and construction decision had to anticipate long-term O&M realities.

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Our Approach

1. Integrated civil + mechanical execution
3S Energy took full responsibility for project management, civil works and the installation of AXIAL tracker mounting systems, ensuring that pile positioning, tracker assembly and module layout were treated as one continuous process, not separate scopes.

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2. Structured electrical rollout at scale
We implemented a phased plan for AC/DC works:

• Organized DC cabling into clearly defined sections to manage 360 km of cable without compromising traceability.
• Coordinated inverter and MV station installation to streamline commissioning and performance testing.

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3. Full lifecycle mindset from day one
Because 3S Energy also provides technical support during plant operation and maintenance support, we built ESP 1 as the team that would later maintain it:

• Clean cable routing and accessible junction points
• Service-oriented layout around inverters and MV stations
• Documentation and testing aligned with long-term O&M needs

4. Consulted supplier and site logistics
We consulted supplier and carried contract management, equipment and service receipt, ensuring that components arrived in sequence with construction phases, reducing idle time and avoiding rework.

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Results

• On-spec delivery of a complex tracker plant
  ESP 1 was installed to design parameters, with 7,743 piles, 800+ trackers and over 48,000 modules successfully integrated into one coherent system.
• Stable, maintainable asset from day one
  The same team that built ESP 1 is now providing ongoing technical and maintenance support, translating construction know-how directly into faster diagnostics, fewer errors and more efficient interventions.
• Proof of 3S Energy as a regional delivery engine
  ESP 1 shows 3S Energy’s ability to:
  • Execute tracker-based utility-scale projects on complex terrain
  • Manage hundreds of kilometres of cabling and dozens of inverters
  • Stand behind the asset through long-term O&M

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Together with our other large-scale projects in Fier and Ballsh, ESP 1 underlines 3S Energy’s role as a regional delivery engine – turning ambitious solar designs in Southeast Europe into reliable, operating infrastructure.