Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives Inc. (IEA), an infrastructure construction company with renewable energy and specialty civil expertise, has been awarded a 100 MW AC solar contract to construct the Lumpkin Solar Farm in Stewart County, Ga.
Silicon Ranch Corp., a Nashville-based independent solar power producer, awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to IEA Constructors, a subsidiary of IEA that manages utility-scale energy and heavy civil infrastructure projects.
“IEA is very pleased to again partner with Silicon Ranch to bring additional renewable energy sources to Georgia,” says Joe Broom, senior vice president of solar construction operations at IEA. “Georgia ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for total solar capacity installed. We are proud that we can support Georgia in meeting its growing demand for renewable power.”
Silicon Ranch is funding the installation of the Lumpkin Solar Farm and will own and operate the solar array for the long-term. Construction of the solar photovoltaic (PV) generation facility is scheduled to begin immediately and is expected to be completed in late 2021. IEA’s scope of work includes the installation of owner furnished modules and full balance of system EPC construction, including all of the civil, mechanical and electrical work. More than 300,000 First Solar Series 6 modules will be installed across the 850-acre site.
To construct the facility, IEA will hire approximately 300 craft workers, the majority of whom will be recruited from the local labor pool. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IEA will forego hosting a local job fair; however, the company is encouraging local area residents interested in working on the Lumpkin Solar Farm to apply online.
The Lumpkin Solar Farm is part of a portfolio of projects that will provide solar power to the Walton Electric Membership Corp. (EMC) as part of the utility’s agreement to supply 100% renewable energy for Facebook’s data center in Newton County, Ga. In total, Walton EMC and Silicon Ranch have executed six contracts totaling 435 MW AC of new renewable energy generation to support Facebook’s operations in the state.