Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives chosen to construct 100-MW Lumpkin Solar Farm

Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, an infrastructure construction company with renewable energy and specialty civil expertise, announced that it has been awarded a 100-MW_AC solar contract to construct the Lumpkin Solar Farm in Stewart County, Georgia. Silicon Ranch Corporation, based in Nashville, Tennessee and one of the nation’s largest independent solar power producers, 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.

Silicon Ranch is funding the installation of the Lumpkin Solar Farm and will own and operate the solar array for the long-term, a disciplined approach the company takes with every project it develops. Construction of the solar 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 in rural southwest Georgia.

To construct the facility, IEA will hire approximately 300 craft workers, the majority of whom will be recruited from the local labor pool in Georgia. 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 at IEA.net or to send an email to recruit@iea.net.

The Lumpkin Solar Farm is part of a portfolio of projects that will provide solar power to the Walton Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) as part of the utility’s agreement to supply 100% renewable energy for Facebook’s data center in Newton County, Georgia. 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 Georgia. In 2020, Silicon Ranch and IEA teamed up to construct another of these solar projects, the 25 MW_AC Appling Solar Farm in the southeastern part of the state of Georgia.

“IEA is very pleased to again partner with Silicon Ranch to bring additional renewable energy sources to Georgia,” said Joe Broom, IEA’s senior VP of solar construction operations. “Georgia ranks among the top ten states in the nation for total solar capacity installed. We are proud that we can support Georgia in meeting the growing demand for clean, renewable power in the state.”

“One of the many qualities that makes Georgia a great place for business is the wonderful workforce in the state. More than 1,000 Georgians have already helped us build projects that serve Facebook and Walton EMC,” said Silicon Ranch co-founder and CEO Reagan Farr. “Silicon Ranch is pleased to partner again with IEA to expand this legacy to Stewart County and the surrounding region, and we thank our partners at Walton EMC and Facebook for making the Lumpkin Solar Farm and this meaningful investment possible.”

News item from IEA

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Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/01/infrastructure-energy-alternatives-lumpkin-solar-farm-georgia/