380-acre solar farm goes online

WEBBERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) - The switch was flipped Friday morning in Webberville on what officials are calling the nation's largest solar farm.

The farm's 127,000 solar panels blanket some 380 acres about 20 miles east of Austin. The panels are designed to rotate with the sun to maximize the energy production.

"This is the largest solar project of any public power utility in the United States, the largest installation in Texas and among the largest in the nation," said Larry Weis, Austin Energy general manager.

Officials said the farm should generate enough electricity to power about 5,000 homes. Austin Energy will purchase all of the 30 megawatts of power this farm will produce every year. It's all part of the city of Austin's long-term renewable energy plan.

"This is a project we’re putting to work in your homes and it will reduce our emission footprint by 35-percent by the year 2020 along with our other renewable energy projects," said Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell.

The cost is about $10 million a year for the next 25 years. That translates into about 60 cents being added onto consumers' bills every month.