Project will have a peak on-site construction workforce of 300, creating new jobs in Frio County

DALLAS (Sept. 28, 2022) - McCarthy Building Companies has contracted with Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contractor for a utility-scale solar farm in Pearsall, Texas, located approximately an hour southwest of San Antonio. McCarthy is responsible for the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the 200-megawatt (MWac) facility.

McCarthy's Renewable Energy & Storage team is currently hiring approximately 150 more new craft workers to construct the Horizon Solar project, with new crews starting work in October. The project will have 300 construction workers on-site at peak construction. The majority of the workers will be recruited from the local area and the military veteran community. Area residents and military veterans interested in working on the solar project should visit www.McCarthy.com/careers/search, and select the city where the project is located to find job postings for positions ranging from entry level to experienced, including laborer, operator, crew lead, electrician and journeyman electrician. McCarthy will train workers seeking utility-scale solar construction experience.

McCarthy's focus on hiring veterans led the company to create a veteran recruitment program with Adaptive Construction Solutions (ACS). Through the ACS program, McCarthy trains each apprentice via a combination of safety, on-the-job instruction, mentorship and technical education. The program curriculum is designed to help veterans understand and develop the skills and knowledge essential to be successful on construction projects, supporting McCarthy's national craft workforce training initiative.
"We are grateful to be part of bringing clean energy and jobs to Texas communities," said Scott Canada, executive vice president of McCarthy's Renewable Energy & Storage team. "With utility-scale solar construction jobs on the rise in Texas and around the country, we are continually working to help local skilled craft workers and veterans join our solar project teams and receive the training needed to develop rewarding careers in the growing renewable energy sector."
The project will provide reliable, renewable energy and offset the equivalent emissions of more than 40,000 average Texas households. Horizon Solar will include solar components from leading American-based companies, including solar modules from First Solar and smart solar tracker solutions from NexTracker. The project is expected to reach commercial operation by the fourth quarter of 2023, with Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) continuing to own and operate the facility.
Sam Mangrum, LRE's SVP of Project Execution commented, "Responsible development is a key tenet of LRE, which includes construction safety as well as giving back to the local communities by creating jobs and generating significant economic benefits. McCarthy has consistently embodied those ideals and we look forward to the successful completion of the Horizon project."
McCarthy's Renewable Energy & Storage group has built or is currently constructing nearly 80 utility-scale solar energy projects, delivering a combined capacity of more than 8.8 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy production and over 775 MW of energy storage since 2010. 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.  
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About McCarthy Building Companies
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country - with nearly 160 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 19th largest domestic builder (Engineering News-Record, 2022). With approximately 6,000 salaried employees and craft professionals, the firm has offices in St. Louis, Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Kansas City, Kan.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Austin, Dallas, Houston; and San Diego, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100% employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.