Zelestra and Meta have signed a new long-term power purchase agreement for the 180 MWdc Palmera Solar Plant in Freestone County, Texas, the latest addition to a growing partnership that now spans eight projects totaling approximately 1.4 GWdc of solar capacity across the United States, all expected to be operational by 2028.

A Rapidly Expanding Portfolio

The Palmera announcement marks another step in an accelerating collaboration between the two companies. The 180 MWdc project, which carries an alternating current capacity of 140 MWac, joins a portfolio that has grown substantially in a short period.

Zelestra's US CEO Phil North noted that within just a few months, the company brought the Jasper County Solar Project in Indiana to full commercial operation, commenced construction on two additional projects, and has now added Palmera to the lineup.

The 81 MWdc Jasper County Solar Project in Indiana represents the first completed project under the Meta partnership, having recently reached full commercial operation.

It serves as an early proof of concept for the broader collaboration between the renewable energy developer and the technology giant. The eight-project portfolio covering approximately 1.4 GWdc is entirely backed by PPAs with Meta and is expected to be fully operational by 2028. Zelestra is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and is developing a pipeline of approximately 15 GW across key US markets.

Construction Underway in Texas and Indiana

Beyond the Palmera announcement, construction is now active on two projects. In Anderson County, Texas, the 176 MWdc Skull Creek Solar Plant has broken ground with McCarthy Building Companies serving as lead EPC contractor.

At peak construction, Skull Creek is expected to support approximately 200 jobs and generate an estimated USD 8.2 million in local economic impact in Anderson County.

The project will incorporate approximately 400,000 bifacial solar modules. Dhruv Patel, President of McCarthy's Renewable Energy group, described the Skull Creek project as a meaningful step in expanding clean energy across Texas, emphasizing the company's commitment to creating long-term construction careers, supporting local subcontractors and suppliers, and delivering a safe project for the surrounding community.

In Gibson County, Indiana, the 200 MWdc Reclamation Solar Project is also underway. The project carries particular significance given its location on land reclaimed from former coal mining operations. Qcells USA Corp. has been appointed as both the solar module supplier and EPC provider for the Reclamation project.

Approximately 325,000 US-made bifacial modules will be installed, and the project is expected to support approximately 200 jobs at peak construction. Environmental goals at the site extend beyond power generation, with plans to support soil restoration, native vegetation growth, and regional biodiversity enhancement.

Chris Hodrick, CEO of Qcells EPC, characterized Reclamation as a forward-thinking project that transforms previously used land into a long-term source of clean energy, while delivering American-made manufacturing and economic value to the local community. Together, the Skull Creek and Reclamation projects are expected to support 400 jobs at peak construction combined.

Meta's Clean Energy Strategy

The expanding Zelestra relationship forms part of Meta's broader effort to match its operations with 100% clean energy and to add new renewable generation capacity to the grid. Amanda Yang, Meta's Head of Clean and Renewable Energy, said the growing partnership with Zelestra is helping advance that goal at scale.

She pointed to the dual benefit of the projects, noting they are advancing Meta's energy objectives while simultaneously creating jobs and delivering long-term value in the communities where the facilities are being built.

Meta's approach, as reflected in the PPA structure across all eight projects, centers on bringing genuinely new renewable capacity online rather than simply purchasing existing clean energy credits. The Palmera project in Freestone County, Texas, is intended to contribute directly to that objective by adding new solar generation to the Texas grid.

Zelestra's Growing US Platform

For Zelestra, the Palmera deal reinforces its position as a developer capable of executing at scale for major hyperscaler and corporate customers. The company describes itself as a global, multi-technology, customer-focused renewable energy business, and the Meta partnership represents its most prominent US relationship to date.

The pace of project delivery has been notable. The progression from Jasper County's commercial operation through the construction launches at Skull Creek and Reclamation, and now the addition of Palmera, has taken place across a compressed timeline.

Zelestra's overall US development pipeline stands at approximately 15 GW. The financing infrastructure supporting the portfolio has also been established. In March 2026, Zelestra secured USD 600 million in green financing for a 440 MW Texas solar portfolio backed by Meta PPAs, according to a separate announcement referenced in the company's news materials. A tax equity transaction for the Jasper County project closed in October 2025.

McCarthy Building Companies and Qcells USA Corp. bring established renewable energy construction and manufacturing credentials to the active project sites, with both firms citing the community and domestic manufacturing dimensions of their respective roles alongside the technical delivery requirements of utility-scale solar development.

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