Blue Ridge Power Announces Major Job Cuts Amidst Solar Industry Challenges
Blue Ridge Power, a North Carolina-based renewable energy company, has announced significant job cuts and a review of its ongoing projects. The company, which has been instrumental in adding solar capacity to the region, is facing market challenges similar to those affecting the wider renewable energy industry.
Blue Ridge Power has filed a WARN Act notice for mass layoffs in North Carolina, impacting a total of 517 jobs. The cuts include 348 positions in Cumberland County and 169 in Buncombe County. This represents a substantial portion of the company's workforce, which numbers over 700. Pine Gate Renewables is stepping in to assist with the orderly closure of Blue Ridge Power's operations.
The company has been a significant player in the U.S. solar industry, having built 8 GW of solar projects nationwide. Currently, it has 1.2 GW of projects under construction in 14 states. In the Carolinas, Blue Ridge Power has added substantial solar capacity, including four major projects. One such project, the Centerfield-Solarprojekt in Chesterfield, South Carolina, was developed by Southern Current, a company specializing in solar energy projects in the southeastern United States.
Blue Ridge Power is now assessing how to support ongoing projects and transition them to another EPC provider. The company's headquarters are in Asheville, North Carolina. Despite these challenges, it's important to note that clean energy jobs have been growing at a rapid pace, three times faster than the overall U.S. workforce since 2020.
