Marion County: Solar farm not linked to data center, residents informed
Marion County residents attended community Q&A events hosted by Pathway Power regarding a planned 2,000-acre solar farm. The company reassured residents that the project is not connected to a data center, addressing fears that had circulated online. While some residents' data center concerns were alleviated, skepticism remains regarding water usage, safety, and a pending tax abatement from Marion County.
Residents of Marion County, Texas, attended community meet-and-greet events hosted by Pathway Power, a California-based company, to learn details about a proposed 2,000-acre solar farm south of Avinger. A primary concern for many attendees was the circulating rumor that the solar farm was a precursor or cover for a data center development.
Pathway Power's CEO, Jam Attari, directly addressed these fears, stating unequivocally that the solar farm is not connected to any data center project, including one in Blanchard, Louisiana. Attari clarified that the solar farm's battery storage system would use a closed-loop evaporative cooling system, which requires significantly less water than open-loop systems typically found in data centers, reassuring some residents like Shar Parr, who had concerns about regional water resources. However, some skepticism about the project, particularly regarding water runoff and siltation into nearby Lake O’ the Pines, persists.
Further concerns about the solar farm itself included safety aspects, such as potential fires from the battery system, which were raised by Avinger's assistant fire chief, Jimmie Alford. Hunter Bonner, chair of the Marion County Republican Party, emphasized the need for Pathway Power to make its detailed engineering plans available before Marion County commissioners consider the company's request for a tax abatement.
Pathway Power aims to start construction next year, with operations slated for late 2028. Managing partner Jam Attari reiterated the company's commitment to community engagement and minimizing disruption, while also highlighting the project's potential economic benefits for the area through local labor and contractors.