Despite all the election business this week at the Gold Dome, regular business continues. Gov. Brian Kemp announced last week that Silicon Ranch Corporation, one of the country’s largest solar power producers, would be investing approximately $55 million in a solar project in Houston County.
The project is a partnership with Green Power EMC and will provide solar energy to more than 30 Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) across the state.
“We are excited that Silicon Ranch continues to make significant investments in Georgia communities to power homes and businesses with low-cost, locally generated solar energy,” said Kemp. “My thanks to Silicon Ranch for partnering with Georgia’s electric cooperatives to support economic development across the Peach State.”
Construction is expected to begin on December 1, with more than 300 workers from the Houston County region working on the project.
“Silicon Ranch is committed to making a positive difference in the communities we serve, and we’re pleased to work with our partners at Green Power EMC and IEA (the general contractor selected for the project) to execute this vision in Houston County,” said Silicon Ranch Co-Founder and Chairman Matt Kisber, who previously served eight years as Tennessee Commissioner of Economic and Community Development. “I also want to thank Chairman Tommy Stalnaker for his leadership and the Houston County Board of Commissioners for welcoming Silicon Ranch and this project to the community. Based on our company’s experience, I can understand why Georgia remains the number one state for doing business in the United States.”
Besides the environmental benefits to solar energy, market forces are increasingly demanding renewable sources like solar when businesses look to expand or relocate facilities, something Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson is likely keenly aware of.
“Many of the world’s largest businesses are making the availability of renewable energy a key factor in their location decisions,” said Wilson. “The commitment by Silicon Ranch and Georgia’s EMCs underscores that we are ready to meet the business requirements of the modern economy.”
The announcement comes a few weeks after news out of Waynesboro that Plant Vogtle’s opening may be delayed another few months. The utility said in its latest filing with the Public Service Commission that an important system test will be delayed three months later than expected, at least partially due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 1,000 Vogtle workers have tested positive for Covid-19 and some 6,600 have quarantined at some point due to exposure. That is a lot of lost man hours.
The good news, we’ve waited this long. With continuing investment across the state in renewables, and Vogtle coming online relatively soon in any case, the future for Georgia power (little “p”) is looking strong and clean.
