Spanish independent power producer (IPP) Zelestra has signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with tech giant Meta for the 180MWdc Palmera Solar Plant in Freestone County, Texas.
According to Zelestra, the agreement expands its renewable energy partnership with Meta to eight projects across the US, representing approximately 1.4GWdc of contracted solar capacity.
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The agreement marks a further expansion of a collaboration that now spans multiple utility-scale solar developments across Texas and the Midwest, all expected to reach commercial operation by 2028.
Additionally, Zelestra confirmed that construction is underway at two additional Meta-backed projects: the 176MWdc Skull Creek Solar Plant in Anderson County, Texas, and the 200MWdc Reclamation Solar Project in Gibson County, Indiana. Together, the two projects are expected to create around 400 jobs locally.
The Skull Creek project will deploy approximately 400,000 bifacial solar modules and is being delivered by McCarthy Building Companies, which is acting as lead engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.
In Indiana, the Reclamation project will be developed on land previously used for coal mining operations and will install approximately 325,000 US-made bifacial modules supplied by Qcells USA, which is also serving as the EPC provider. The project is expected to support around 200 construction jobs.
Phil North, Zelestra’s US CEO, said: “Our partnership with Meta continues to translate ambition into delivery. In just a few months, we have brought Jasper County online, started construction on Skull Creek and Reclamation, and now added Palmera to the portfolio. Together, we are accelerating the delivery of new energy infrastructure that supports Meta’s decarbonization goals while delivering long-term economic value in local communities.”
The Reclamation project follows the recent completion of Zelestra’s 81MWdc Jasper County Solar Project in Indiana, which became the first asset to reach commercial operation under the Meta partnership.
Zelestra said the latest PPA for Palmera further strengthens Meta’s strategy to match its operations with 100% renewable electricity while supporting new clean generation on the US grid.
Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Zelestra is developing a US pipeline of approximately 15GW across key markets. Recently, the company completed the sale of its Latin America platform to Colombian multi-energy holding company Promigas for approximately US$1.1 billion to prioritise growth in the US, Germany, Italy and Spain.
