SB Orion Solar Belt now operational and ready to join the Milam community

WACO, Texas (KWTX) – SB Energy’s Orion Solar Belt consists of three solar farms with a total of 1.3 million solar panels. It cost more than $25 million to complete and will power Google’s data centers in Dallas.

Jaime Carlson of SB Energy says the plant has more than 900 megawatts, covers an area of five thousand hectares and aims to improve the local economy.

“We’re working with 27 different landowners, leasing acres from them and creating new economic revenue streams for them to use on their land, and in some cases even sharing land,” Carlson said.

Buckholts ISD principal Alushka Driska was approached by SB officials when they wanted to lease some of her land, and says they were very communicative and transparent during the process.

“As soon as we knew they came in, they contacted us immediately. Our project managers were great. They made it a point to visit the families in their homes, everything was a conversation around the kitchen table,” Driska said.

Driska was able to connect SB officials with her school district, and SB Energy is now making plans to make much-needed upgrades to the school.

“They started giving me and my maintenance manager tours of the campus and really saw the need we had. They have committed $150,000 to help us renovate our bathrooms and fixtures,” Driska said.

Carlson says they are here to stay and do their part to help the community.

“Ideally, we show ourselves as a long-term partner and understand the priorities of our local community.”