Zelestra has begun construction on its two largest solar projects developed in the United States to date, marking a significant expansion of the company’s renewable energy portfolio in Texas.

The projects include the 253 MWdc Echols Grove solar facility in Lamar County, Texas and the 188 MWdc Cedar Range solar project in Hopkins County, Texas. McCarthy Building Companies has been appointed as the lead engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor responsible for overseeing construction of both projects.

Power purchase agreements with Meta

Both developments are supported by long-term power purchase agreements with Meta Platforms, forming part of a broader partnership between the companies that covers seven renewable energy projects totaling 1.2 GWdc of capacity.

Construction began at both sites in January 2026, with commercial operations expected by late 2027. Once completed, the facilities will install approximately 704,000 bifacial solar modules across roughly 2,400 acres.

The projects are expected to support more than 400 local jobs during construction and generate approximately $20 million in local economic activity through local supply chains and services.

Zelestra, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is currently developing a renewable energy portfolio of approximately 15 GW across key markets. In February 2026, BloombergNEF ranked the company among the top 10 sellers of corporate power purchase agreements in the United States.

The construction of Zelestra’s solar projects in Texas reflects broader growth across the U.S. solar sector, where new power generation developments are advancing alongside investments in domestic manufacturing capacity. In Milam County, Texas, T1 Energy is developing the G2 Austin solar cell manufacturing facility, a large-scale plant designed to produce high-efficiency solar cells for utility-scale solar panels. Together, projects such as these illustrate how generation and manufacturing investments are expanding in parallel as the U.S. solar industry scales.

Project Fact Sheet

Developer: Zelestra

EPC Contractor: McCarthy Building Companies

Projects:

Echols Grove Solar Project

Cedar Range Solar Project

Locations:

Lamar County, Texas

Hopkins County, Texas

Total Capacity:

441 MWdc combined

Individual Project Capacity:

Echols Grove – 253 MWdc

Cedar Range – 188 MWdc

Offtaker:

Meta Platforms (Power Purchase Agreements Secured)

Construction Start:

January 2026

Expected Commercial Operation:

End of 2027

Solar Modules:

704,000 bifacial modules

Project Footprint:

Approximately 2,400 acres

Economic Impact:

400+ construction jobs

$20 million local spending