More than 300 employees of Blue Ridge Power in Fayetteville will be laid off by mid-November, according to a N.C. Department of Commerce data dashboard.
First reported by , Pine Gate Renewables this week announced plans to shut down the company as it faces “market headwinds” affecting the renewable energy industry. The solar energy developer, which operates Blue Ridge Power, will lay off 348 employees by Nov. 18 at its facility on 1682 Middle River Loop in Fayetteville.
It will also lay off 169 employees at the Asheville location, according to a Sept. 18 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the state Department of Commerce.
Blue Ridge Power is an engineering, procurement and construction company for solar and storage projects, according to its website. The company was formed in 2021 and stated that it employed over 700 workers, prior to the layoffs.
“Blue Ridge Power has experienced market headwinds similar to those impacting the entire renewable energy industry, requiring Pine Gate Renewables to dedicate significant resources to support the organization,” Kristen McKenzie, a spokesperson for the company, told CityView in an email.
“After reviewing numerous options to find a path forward, Pine Gate made the difficult decision to conduct an orderly wind-down of Blue Ridge Power. Blue Ridge Power will continue to assess how best to support each of its ongoing projects, including working with its customers to transition those projects to another EPC provider,” McKenzie said. “This decision in no way reflects the hard work or dedication of our valued team members, and we are deeply grateful for all of their contributions.”
The layoffs come as the Trump administration has rolled back tax credits for solar and wind projects through the “Big Beautiful Bill Act,” enacted in July. Since then, the Environmental Protection Agency has ended a $7 billion program to bring solar power to low-income households. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality was supposed to receive $156 million for the program, called Solar for All, reported in August. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also announced plans that same month to move away from funding renewable energy projects on productive farmland, reported.
Local response
In 2022, Blue Ridge Power announced the launch of a PowerUp Workforce Development Program in partnership with Fayetteville Technical Community College and Cumberland County Schools. The program, which kicked off in 2023, trained high school students in solar infrastructure installation.
News of the company’s closure “was a bit of a surprise,” said Mark Sorrells, president of Fayetteville Technical Community College.
A total of 24 students have been part of the program since its beginning, including four this year. After students completed the program and graduated, they were offered a paid apprenticeship, Sorrells said.
FTCC officials will look to find other companies to work with the students.
“Some companies might be outside our area and most of those skillsets are transferable,” Sorrells said.
Robert Van Geons, president and CEO of Fayetteville and Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation, expressed disappointment about the layoffs in a text message to CityView and pledged to help the affected employees find jobs.
“Our team will be supporting the state’s rapid response effort,” Van Geons said. “We will do everything we can to help the workers find new employment. Partners will also help them with training and support services if needed.”