Portugal-based Martifer Solar is gearing up to build a 30 megawatt photovoltaic solar plant in Baja California Sur, Mexico, which will bring the country’s total PV capacity to 43 MW.

Martifer Solar has an engineering, procurement and construction contract to build the plant, Aura Solar I, and will both operate and maintain it once complete. Aura Solar I will be Mexico’s first utility-scale solar project under a power purchase agreement between Mexico’s federal power company and a private company. It is scheduled for completion in August 2013.

Mexico’s largest PV facility to date has 5 MW of capacity.

Mexico may see “exponential” growth in PV solar capacity, thanks to its high levels of sun exposure, according to Martifer. The country is targeting having 35% of its energy come from renewable sources by 2026.