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Updated: March 12, 2026 @ 12:13 pm
Silfab Solar’s solar cell manufacturing plant opened in February, then quickly generated controversy in March with two chemical leaks in the same week.
Reporter
Lamaur Stancil writes about government, business, schools and entertainment in York County. He can be reached at 803-687-3436 or at X at @LamaurStancil
Silfab Solar’s solar cell manufacturing plant opened in February, then quickly generated controversy in March with two chemical leaks in the same week.
FORT MILL — After losing five days of work during state and federal investigations, Silfab Solar staff returned on March 9.
A moratorium on accepting chemicals at the solar cell panel manufacturer remains in place, though, officials said. Therefore, the 700-member work force is only conducting cell manufacturing and assembly.
“After a thorough review, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services confirmed no indication that assembly operations should remain paused, and that assembly operations do not involve the use of chemicals regulated under Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Management Program,” Silfab Solar said.
On the same night work resumed, alarms went off at Silfab. The company attributed it to “highly sensitive monitoring equipment.” The York County Sheriff’s Office concluded there were no issues tied to the alarm.
The EPA also visited the Silfab site in unincorporated Fort Mill on March 9 after a pair of hazardous chemical reports roiled public nerves the previous week and led to the Fort Mill School District canceling two days of classes at Flint Hill Elementary School, which sits adjacent to the plant.
Greg Basden, Silfab’s director of operations for the site, said he contended the school district didn’t need to cancel classes on March 5 and 6 in response to the second leak, which he described as a contained leak that could only be measured in tablespoons.
“It’s been a struggle to understand why this elevated to a point that it resulted in school closures,” Basden said. “People needlessly alarmed the public and spread misinformation.”
No injuries were reported from either the March 3 leak of 300 gallons of a solution with potassium hydroxide or the hydrofluoric acid leak from a tank delivered in the last week of February. The public was notified of the latter leak on March 5.
York County and state environmental officials said solar cell manufacturing had not begun yet at Silfab, which has been operating for only few months.
State officials said Silfab has to meet the conditions of a compliance agreement before it will be allowed to manufacture solar cells. Those include the company retaining a qualified engineer with expertise in evaluating chemical systems and equipment leaks. Silfab must also notify the state about any future leaks.
Lamaur Stancil writes about government, business, schools and entertainment in York County. He can be reached at 803-687-3436 or at X at @LamaurStancil
Reporter
Lamaur Stancil writes about government, business, schools and entertainment in York County. He can be reached at 803-687-3436 or at X at @LamaurStancil
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