Cypress Creek Renewables and Cubico Sustainable Investments have commissioned the Palmetto Plains PV installation, South Carolina’s largest solar project in operation.
Located in Orangeburg County, the Palmetto Plains solar project has an installed generation capacity of 106MW. South Carolina now benefits from over 880MW of solar in operation, enough power for approximately 94,000 households.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said: “We are excited to have companies like Cypress Creek and Cubico invest in our state and remain proud of all the steps we have taken to welcome the solar industry to South Carolina. With the recent passing of the Energy Freedom Act, we expect to continue to see the rate payers benefit from low cost, environmentally friendly power.”
Cypress Creek has developed and successfully added 375MW across 22 projects to the grid in South Carolina. Orangeburg County will also be the site of the 100MW Huntley Solar project, which Cypress Creek and Cubico recently reached financial close on and are now starting construction.
Sarah Slusser, CEO of Cypress Creek Renewables, said, “We are proud to energize South Carolina’s largest solar farm, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Orangeburg County community through our management of Palmetto Plains and the construction of Huntley. These are long-term infrastructure assets that will benefit the community.”
Once completed, both the Palmetto Plains and the Huntley installations will generate US$11 million in local tax revenue for Orangeburg County over the expected 40-year operational life of the projects.
Gregg Robinson, executive director of Orangeburg County Development Commission, said: “Solar power offers a unique alternative energy option to Dominion and indirectly our own Department of Public Utilities (DPU). Our industries can be proud of the fact that not only are our energy costs way below the national average; but they can offer their customers a unique and “Green” energy mix to the portfolio of power.”
Cypress Creek is the developer and engineering, procurement and construction provider for Palmetto Plains, as well as Huntley, and will perform the long-term O&M services for both projects.
