Silicon Ranch, Central Electric Partner With Meta to Bring 100 MW of Solar Online in Orangeburg County

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Silicon Ranch, owner and operator of one of the nation’s largest fleets of solar facilities and a community-focused energy infrastructure company, will partner with Columbia-based Central Electric Power Cooperative to build a 100-megawatt solar farm that will support Meta’s first data center in South Carolina.

Meta’s commitment will support Silicon Ranch’s investment in the Orangeburg County solar farm, adding a new energy generation resource to the fast-growing statewide electric cooperative system.

The agreement expands Silicon Ranch’s relationships with both Central and Meta.

The 100 MW solar facility will be the fourth between Silicon Ranch and Central, a generation and transmission cooperative that secures power for South Carolina’s 19 distribution electric cooperatives.

In addition, the energy infrastructure project is the 18th in the growing partnership between Silicon Ranch and Meta, representing well over 1,500 MW of renewable energy capacity that officials said catalyzed investments of more than $2.5 billion by Silicon Ranch across four states to support Meta’s operations.

As part of the agreement, Silicon Ranch will fund, build, own and operate the facility in coordination with the system balancing authority, Santee Cooper.

Central will purchase energy from the facility as part of its statewide power portfolio, benefiting all 19 of its member cooperatives.

Aiken Electric Cooperative, one of those members, will serve the Meta facility — under construction in the Sage Mill Industrial Park near Graniteville.

In connection with its investment, Meta will receive all renewable energy credits associated with the facility energy.

The solar project represents a capital investment of more than $100 million in Orangeburg County.

Silicon Ranch estimates the solar facility will generate more than $8 million in new tax revenues to help fund local schools, infrastructure and other community-identified priorities.

Silicon Ranch will also care for the land under its Regenerative Energy land stewardship program, which seeks to improve the quality of land by promoting deep-rooted, multi-species grasses and pollinator habitat under and around the solar array.

Officials said the project reinforces Silicon Ranch’s industry-leading support for American-made energy through its deep commitment to domestic manufacturing, job creation and economic development: nearly all the equipment Silicon Ranch has sourced for the facility will be made in the U.S.

“Domestic infrastructure and access to energy are among the most critical factors for economic development, and Silicon Ranch is pleased to partner with Central to help deliver the power generation that Meta requires in support of its significant investment in South Carolina,” said Reagan Farr, co-founder and CEO of Silicon Ranch.

Farr added, “We’re honored by the confidence and trust that Meta continues to place in our team to execute on their behalf and grateful to be part of this compelling journey with them while also expanding our meaningful relationship with Central with this additional investment in the state.”

“As the power supplier for South Carolina’s 19 electric cooperatives, Central is laser-focused on meeting our state’s growing energy demands at competitive prices and in a safe and responsible manner,” said Rob Hochstetler, president and CEO of Central Electric Power Cooperative.

Hochstetler added, “Our expanded partnership with Silicon Ranch supports our ability to deliver toward this mission, and we are thrilled to help welcome Meta to South Carolina.”

The data center and Silicon Ranch’s Orangeburg County solar facility are both expected to come online in 2027.

Founded in 2011, Silicon Ranch is a fully integrated provider of customized solar energy, battery storage, and carbon solutions.

The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the U.S., with a portfolio that includes more than seven gigawatts of solar and battery storage systems that are contracted, under construction, or operating across the U.S. and Canada.

Silicon Ranch owns and operates every project in its portfolio.

Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc., is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Columbia, S.C.

Together, Central and its 19 member cooperatives provide power to about 2 million South Carolinians across all 46 counties and 70 percent of the Palmetto State’s land mass.

South Carolina’s independent, member-owned electric cooperatives formed Central in 1948 to pool their resources to purchase wholesale power more efficiently and effectively.

Aiken Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, consumer-owned utility. The co-op serves more than 52,000 members across nine counties in western South Carolina.

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