LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) — Construction of the Panama Energy Center, a 2,400-acre solar facility developed by NextEra Energy Resources, is approaching the finish line.
The site spans roughly 1,800 football fields. At peak construction, approximately 400 workers were on site.
Construction Manager D.J. Wilson said crews install between 8,000 and 10,000 solar panels per day — one panel every 90 seconds during a typical eight- to 10-hour shift.
By the end of construction, nearly half a million panels will cover the landscape. Each panel weighs 75 pounds.
The facility is expected to generate approximately 300 megawatts, about 37 percent of what the city of Lincoln uses at peak demand.
“Every one of them is adding all of their energy all into one big power source, one big battery, which will then power our grid and give us the power that we need for everyday life,” Wilson said.
Wilson said Nebraska’s natural terrain has benefited the construction timeline, allowing crews to work with the land rather than alter it.
“I don’t have to grade. I don’t have to come out here and flatten everything because this system is designed to utilize, you know, like I said, those natural hills and those natural undulations and creating the least amount of impact to the environment, to Nebraska’s beautiful land out here,” Wilson said.
Once operational, just four full-time workers will maintain the facility.
The project’s development director, Matthew Jones, said the facility is expected to generate tax revenue and jobs for the surrounding community.
“It feels great to add value to this community through tax revenue and through jobs. We’re helping schools. There’s an incredible amount of satisfaction that comes from that for all of us, I think,” Jones said.
Construction and testing of the panels and rows are ongoing. The facility is expected to come online in December.
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