One company is building a massive 1.4 GW solar portfolio for Meta — SkimNews
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- Meta and Zelestra signed a power purchase agreement for the 180 MW Palmera Solar Plant in Freestone County, Texas.
- Zelestra is constructing the 176 MW Skull Creek Solar Plant in Anderson County, Texas, and the 200 MW Reclamation Solar Project in Gibson County, Indiana, both backed by Meta.
- Meta and Zelestra now have agreements covering roughly 1.4 GW of solar capacity across eight U.S. projects, slated to be online by 2028.
- Skull Creek will create about 200 jobs at peak construction and generate an estimated $8.2 million in local economic impact, using ~400,000 bifacial panels with McCarthy Building Companies as EPC contractor.
- Reclamation will also support ~200 construction jobs, install ~325,000 US‑made bifacial modules, and incorporate soil restoration, native vegetation, and biodiversity improvements on reclaimed coal‑mining land, with Qcells providing modules and EPC services.
- Zelestra says the projects are designed to meet Meta’s growing electricity demand from its data centers and other large corporate customers.
Why it matters: Meta secures renewable electricity for its data centers, reducing reliance on conventional power, while Zelestra’s pipeline gains a high‑profile corporate customer, expanding its market footprint. Local communities benefit from roughly 400 construction jobs and millions in economic impact, reinforcing the economic case for large‑scale solar on reclaimed land.
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