McCarthy Building Companies and Lightsource bp will team up a second time to deliver solar power in Pueblo, Colorado. Cumulatively, the two projects represent a total of nearly 600 MW of energy infrastructure to support Colorado’s clean energy future.
Construction is underway with commercial operation expected by late 2022. McCarthy Building Companies was selected by Lightsource bp as the EPC contractor for the 293 MWdc solar project, which is located south of Pueblo’s city center. The Sun Mountain Solar project includes installations of nearly 640,000 solar modules on over 1,700 acres of land, firmly securing its position on the list of largest solar facilities in Colorado to date.
As one of the state’s top solar contractors, McCarthy has a proven track record of successfully building large utility-scale projects in Colorado including Lightsource bp’s Bighorn Solar project, which is also located in Pueblo.
According to Justin Peterson, vice president of operations for McCarthy Building Companies’ Colorado office, the team has benefitted from the earlier alliance on Bighorn, with important considerations such as vegetation management and biodiversity being accommodated in the base design.
“The Sun Mountain project is just one of many solar sites McCarthy has worked on in Colorado along the Front Range and on the Western Slope,” said Peterson. “Our projects have not only resulted nearly 1,000MW of clean, renewable energy infrastructure in the state, but also in the creation of hundreds of new jobs and opportunities for local residents to develop lasting careers in the construction industry. We are proud to be a leader in Colorado’s renewable energy future.”
With an emphasis on local jobs and training opportunities, Sun Mountain Solar will create 300 jobs during the 12 month construction period. Approximately 150 of the workers from Bighorn Solar will be transitioning to construct Sun Mountain with 150 additional workers to be recruited from the local community.
“I used to be in the restaurant industry. That just wasn’t a good fit for me and my family because of the pay and odd hours. Working in solar means that I have the opportunity to build a career in which I can not only grow and advance but also have more quality time with my family. The job creation that has come with these two solar projects is awesome for our area.” said Sixto Reyes, Pueblo resident and native.
McCarthy’s Renewable Energy and Storage group is currently constructing or has completed nearly 70 utility-scale clean energy projects in communities across the country since 2010, delivering a combined capacity of more than 6.6 GW of clean energy production and over 340 MW and 770 MWh of energy storage. Nationally, McCarthy provides EPC services on utility-scale solar projects for private solar developers and utilities, helping them deliver cost-effective clean energy to the communities they serve.
McCarthy is currently hiring, as the project moves into peak construction workforce staffing in Q1 2022. Area residents interested should visit McCarthy.com/careers/search and enter “Pueblo, CO” to find job postings for positions ranging from entry level to experienced, including installer, laborer, operator, crew lead, electrician and journeyman electrician. McCarthy’s solar construction training program offers individuals of all levels the opportunity to learn skills for developing long-term rewarding careers in the rapidly growing solar industry.
Tags: Lightsource BP, McCarthy Building Companies, utility-scale
