Stockton Solar Project

No. Silicon Ranch is the developer, owner and operator. They are investing $350 million of private capital in Baldwin County to purchase the land, build the facility, and will own and operate it for the project’s useful life. Alabama Power did not determine the location of the project and will not build it. Alabama Power has agreements to purchase power and RECs from the project. The contract is structured so the subscribing customer covers the costs – not other Alabama Power customers.

No. The contract is structured so the subscribing customer covers costs associated with purchases from the Stockton project – not other Alabama Power customers. That’s how renewable subscription program contracts are structured – to protect other customers. Additionally, Alabama Power is freezing customer rates through 2027.

The PSC’s review focused on whether the power purchase agreements, taken together with the customer’s subscription contracts, are in the public interest of Alabama Power customers – including whether they provide an economic benefit for non-subscribing customers. Silicon Ranch is the developer, owner and operator of the project and is the appropriate point of contact for questions related to community engagement. Silicon Ranch has held one community meeting and plans to hold additional community meetings before installation begins in 2027. Additional project information is available on Silicon Ranch’s project webpage, which includes an online comment form for submitting questions: www.siliconranch.com/stockton.

When Alabama Power enters a power purchase agreement with a developer, and a customer subscribes to that project through the Renewable Subscription Program, the PSC reviews the economics of those transactions – including whether they provide an economic benefit for non-subscribing customers. PSC authority covers review of the economics of the power purchase agreements and the customer RSP contract to determine whether they are in the public interest for Alabama Power customers. 

Those are important questions, which are being addressed through separate federal, state and local environmental review processes, not through the PSC or by Alabama Power. Silicon Ranch has stated they are working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, and that the project is being designed to avoid wetlands and other sensitive areas. Silicon Ranch is the right contact for specifics on environmental planning. Alabama Power expects all permitting requirements to be met.

Silicon Ranch chose this location, not Alabama Power. The site – a former industrial timber tract on private land – offers access to existing Alabama Power transmission infrastructure. Silicon Ranch estimates the project will generate approximately $50 million in tax revenue and more than 700 construction jobs for Baldwin County, and they plan to manage 2,500 acres in long-term conservation. Questions about siting and local impact should be directed to Silicon Ranch.

Silicon Ranch has stated that the facility is designed to withstand hurricane-force winds. The system uses tracking technology that automatically monitors weather conditions and enters a protective stow mode, laying panels flat to reduce wind exposure. Silicon Ranch has pointed to the performance of its facilities during Hurricane Helene as evidence of this design’s effectiveness. For specifics on storm resilience, Silicon Ranch is the right contact.

The project will use made-in-Alabama cadmium telluride (CdTe) panels manufactured by First Solar. These panels are encapsulated between layers of tempered glass, do not contain liquids that can leak, and are not classified as hazardous. CdTe is a stable compound – not the same as elemental cadmium. These panels have been deployed across the country for more than 20 years without a safety incident, according to First Solar. They pass EPA toxicity testing and rigorous weather testing, including hail. (First Solar)

Silicon Ranch is the developer, owner and operator of the project and serves as the primary point of contact for questions related to the site, construction, environmental review and community engagement. Additional project information is available on Silicon Ranch’s project webpage, where members of the public are encouraged to submit questions through an online comment form: www.siliconranch.com/stockton.