The project will have a peak on-site construction workforce of 300, creating new jobs in Frio County
DALLAS (September 28, 2022) – McCarthy Building Companies has contracted with Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for a large-scale solar farm in Pearsall, Texas, located in about an hour southwest of San Antonio. McCarthy is responsible for the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the 200 megawatt (MWac) facility.
McCarthy’s renewable energy and storage team is currently hiring about 150 new craftsmen to build the Horizon Solar project, and new teams will begin work in October. The project will have 300 construction workers on site at the peak of construction. The majority of workers will be recruited from the region and the military veteran community. Area residents and military veterans interested in working on the solar project should visit www.McCarthy.com/careers/search and select the city where the project is located to find job postings for positions ranging from entry-level to experienced, including laborer, operator, foreman, electrician and journeyman electrician. McCarthy will train workers looking for large-scale solar building experience.
McCarthy’s focus on hiring veterans led the company to create a veteran recruiting program with Adaptive Construction Solutions (ACS). Through the ACS program, McCarthy trains each apprentice through a combination of safety, on-the-job instruction, mentoring and technical education. The program’s curriculum is designed to help veterans understand and develop the skills and knowledge essential for successful construction projects, supporting McCarthy’s National Craft Workforce Training Initiative.
“We are grateful to help bring clean energy and jobs to Texas communities,” said Scott Canada, senior vice president of McCarthy’s Renewable Energy and Storage team. “With the increase in large-scale solar construction jobs in Texas and across the country, we are continually working to help skilled local craftsmen and veterans join our solar project teams and receive the training needed to develop rewarding careers in the growing renewable energy sector.”
The project will provide reliable, renewable energy and offset the equivalent emissions of more than 40,000 average Texas homes. Horizon Solar will feature solar components from leading US companies, including solar modules from First Solar and smart solar tracking solutions from NexTracker. The project is expected to enter commercial operation by the fourth quarter of 2023, with Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) continuing to own and operate the facility.
Sam Mangrum, Senior Vice President of Project Delivery at LRE, said: “Responsible development is a key principle of LRE, which includes construction safety as well as giving back to local communities by creating jobs. and generating significant economic benefits. McCarthy has always embodied these ideals and we look forward to the success of Project Horizon.”
McCarthy’s Renewable Energy and Storage Group has built or is building nearly 80 utility-scale solar power projects, delivering a combined capacity of more than 8.8 gigawatts (GW) of clean power generation and more of 775 MW of energy storage since 2010. Nationwide, McCarthy provides EPC services on utility-scale solar projects for private solar developers and utilities, helping them deliver clean, cost-effective energy to communities they serve.
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About McCarthy Construction Companies
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the nation’s oldest privately owned national construction company – with nearly 160 years of working with partners to solve complex building problems on behalf of its clients. With a constant focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that covers all phases of every project, McCarthy uses state-of-the-art design and construction phase techniques combined with value-added technology to maximize results. Multiple-awarded Best Workplace and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked 19th among National Builders (Engineering News-Record, 2022). With approximately 6,000 salaried employees and craft professionals, the company has offices in St. Louis, Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Kansas City, Kansas; Omaha, Neb. ; Phoenix; Vegas; Denver; Austin, Dallas, Houston; and San Diego, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, California. McCarthy is 100% employee owned. Further information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
