Austria-based Activ Solar has completed the construction in the Crimea, southern Ukraine, of the fourth and final phase of the Ohotnikovo Solar Power Station in Ukraine - the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) installation ever built in Central and Eastern Europe, the company said in a statement placed on its official website.

Activ Solar acted as a developer of the project.

Ohotnikovo, according to public data, is the world's fourth largest photovoltaic park in terms of installed capacity after the project Sarnia (Canada), Montalto di Castro (Italy) and Finsterwalde (Germany).

The Ohotnikovo power station is expected to produce 100,000 megawatt hours of electricity per year and save up to 80,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. The solar power station will meet the electricity needs of about 20,000 households.

The Ohotnikovo Power Station has a total capacity of 80 megawatts (MW) spanning over 160 hectares and consisting of approximately 360,000 modules. The project is divided into four 20 MW phases.

Activ Solar has also announced the opening of an office in Odesa, Ukraine, to capitalize on growth opportunities in the region. Kaveh Ertefai, Chief Executive Officer of Activ Solar said: "Opening an office in Odesa clearly demonstrates our continued commitment to the region and allows us to more effectively expand our activities with a local presence."

Odessa has a favourable geographical position and offers attractive solar irradiation levels. The company plans to create a significant number of local jobs in the region to execute the company's project pipeline for 2012 and beyond.

Activ Solar, headquartered in Vienna (Austria), is a global company focused on the development and manufacture of solar based technology. The company's main business areas include production of silicon products and development of large-scale photovoltaic installations.

PJSC Semiconductor Plant, based in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, is a subsidiary of Activ Solar with polysilicon production history dating back to 1964. Activ Solar develops finances and realizes large-scale solar energy projects combining world-class expertise, strategic partnerships with cutting edge technology.

The company's unique vision, industry know-how and technological excellence are combined with a focus on providing the highest level of quality to sustainably grow into a fully-integrated solar energy platform.