The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce formally confirmed a massive solar farm project Wednesday, which had previously been reported by Channel 6 News.
The chamber, along with McLennan County, will support solar provider Cypress Creek Renewables in building a $13 million dollar farm in McLennan County near Bruceville-Eddy. The 88-acre, 13 megawatt site will generate enough power for 1,000 homes annually, according to the chamber.
Construction is slated to begin in late 2017, last roughly six months, and support 100 construction-related jobs -- many of which are expected to be local contracting positions.
“Cypress Creek is thrilled to be making an important investment in the local economy of McLennan County," Cypress Creek Renewables CEO Matthew McGovern said.
The project will be the first solar farm in McLennan County, where local leaders offered a five-year real property tax abatement to seal the deal. Cypress Creek is also evaluating other properties in the county for possible additional projects.
“The investment that Cypress Creek has chosen to make in McLennan County further reveals that our county appeals to a variety of businesses," McLennan County Judge Scott Felton said. "Diversity in our tax base is important in that we have less risk if segments of our local economy take economic downturns. Additionally, Cypress Creek provides diversity in power generation sources. It's a perfect fit for us.”
The average life span of a solar farm is 30 years.