The Bishopville Fire Department wants to replace its headquarters, open since 1965.
The Bishopville Fire Department wants to replace its headquarters, open since 1965.
(Nov. 13, 2026) Bishopville’s volunteer firefighters have signed a long-term lease with a solar developer that could help finance a new firehouse.
Pivot Energy plans to build a community solar farm on the department’s 14.7-acre property off Bishopville Road. Worcester County’s Technical Review Committee heard details of the project Tuesday.
Fire department treasurer Gary McCabe described it as a 20-year project that could bring in as much as $60,000 a year for the department. If the department takes out a construction loan, the revenue could help cover the interest, he said.
“This project would benefit the fire company by generating revenue rather than having to ask the county or our residents to help,” he said. “Although we need help from both those sources, we’re trying to find any way we can raise money to support the fire company, and so that new station is our priority now.”
The new firehouse is estimated to cost more than $5.5 million and would replace the department’s one-story station, which opened in 1965.
Blueprints submitted last year to county planners call for a 12,500-square-foot fire station on its current site in Bishopville. It would have a larger pad out front for fire trucks, spacious engine bays, and a 3,000-square-foot community room.
The department is also seeking a $3 million federal grant through Rep. Andy Harris’ office. McCabe said the funding has cleared the House and is awaiting Senate action.
The farmland, located directly across from Bishopville Park, was bequeathed to the department years ago. The volunteers once considered moving their station there, Critical Area setbacks left too little room for a firehouse and enough parking, McCabe said.
The land is now farmed for corn and soybeans, though McCabe described it as sandy and unproductive. About half the parcel lies within the Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area. County officials said the project, if approved, would be Worcester County’s first solar farm on land with that designation.
Tentative plans call for a 4.75-acre solar array near the intersection of Hotel Road and Jarvis Road.
Ted Hastings, an engineer with Becker Morgan Group, said Tuesday that the original plans showed a 2-megawatt project, but said Tuesday the site could only accommodate just over 1 megawatt. Hastings said he’s excited to be part of a project that will benefit local firefighters.
The State Highway Administration wants the permanent entrance moved to Hotel Road, and Hastings agreed to revisit that with Delmarva Power.
John Shields, a senior manager with Pivot, said the company intends to own and operate the array. He said shovels wouldn’t hit the dirt for at least another year.
Delmarva Power customers who subscribe would receive credits on their electric bills. Maryland’s permanent “community solar” program generally requires projects to allocate at least 40% of their electricity output to qualifying low- and moderate-income subscribers.
The proposal will next go to the state Critical Area Commission for review. The Worcester County Planning Commission will take up the site plan once Pivot addresses staff comments from Tuesday’s meeting.
The land could still have an agricultural use: Pivot would likely bring in a flock of sheep to graze beneath the solar panels and keep the vegetation down, Shields said.
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Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 43F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 43F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Cloudy. High 49F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
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