SunPower to build new plant in Malaysia

NEW YORK May 19 (Reuters) - SunPower Corp (SPWR.O) said on Monday it would build a new photovoltaic solar cell manufacturing plant in Malaysia that will be capable of producing more than 1,000 megawatts of cells per year.

The first phase of construction of the company's third fabrication plant will be comprised of 14 solar cell production lines, each with a capacity of 40 megawatts per year, the company said.

Solar cell production at the plant is expected to begin in 2010.

A megawatt is enough power to supply 750 homes. (Reporting by Matt Daily; Editing by Derek Caney)