The largest free-standing solar project in the southeast is making its way to Twiggs County. That's according to First Solar, the company building the massive energy field.
30-year-old Antonio Clay grew up in Twiggs County and says he's looking forward to the new opportunities that the new solar plant could bring to his hometown.
"The solar panel is better than burning oil, gas, and all of this type of fuel that we've been burning," says Clay. "That will be great for the city that we'll have something like that to fall back on, because you never know what can happen out here." says Clay.
Kelvin Lewis, the Twiggs County Administrator, says the power purchase agreement between Georgia Power and First Solar will bring around 400 new jobs.
"We expect ot have a number of construction-related jobs, trucking, infrastructure here and entrepreneurship jobs," says Lewis.
He says they are currently making sure that the citizens are equip with the tools they need for the job.
"We are developing sure we are developing technical and skilled labor here so that our citizens can take advantage of those employment opportunities that are available. From a secondary standpoint, a number of our merchants from housing and food service are really going to find a boost in their actual growth and sales side," says Lewis.
Those jobs will start when construction starts on the 2,000-acre lot in November.
"The new solar plant will look something similar to this one, but about 10 times larger, with about over a half a million solar panels. According to First Solar, this plant is expected to bring in enough electricity for about 30,000 Georgia households.
In the past year, Clay says he's done yardwork and other jobs to make ends meet, but the new plant could open a new door.
"Hopefully, that will be my opportunity to find new work. I will be on the ball once I get this job under my wing," says Clay.
The solar plant should be up and running by 2019.
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Twiggs County will be the site of the largest solar plant in the southeast once construction is completed in late 2019.
A release from First Solar announced the development and construction of the plant on Wednesday.
It says the project is currently in an advanced development stage and construction will begin in late 2018.
Construction is expected to take around a year to complete.
The site will be on 2,000 acres of land near Warner Robins and First Solar says it will be the largest infrastructure project in Twiggs County.
It’s expected to generate around 350-400 jobs during construction.