T1 Energy has found a site prep contractor for its $850 million, 5 gigawatt solar cell plant planned for Austin, Texas.

The Austin-based renewable energy power generation company announced Monday it had enlisted Philadelphia, Mississippi-based Yates Construction for site preparation and preconstruction services. T1 also anticipates coming to terms with Yates as general contractor on the job. No contract value was disclosed.

“We look forward to working with T1 Energy and leveraging our extensive experience in advanced manufacturing facility construction,” William G. Yates III, president and CEO of Yates Construction, said in the release.

Toledo, Ohio-based SSOE Group has served as the project engineer since December 2024.

The G2_Austin plant is part of T1’s strategy to build a domestic solar and battery supply chain to help generate reliable and low-cost energy. The company intends to combine the effort with its already fully operational G1_Dallas 5 GW solar module facility. 

T1 said it anticipates the facility will begin producing cells by the end of 2026 and create up to 1,800 full-time jobs.

The company pointed to President Donald Trump’s administration’s tariffs and other policies supporting onshoring manufacturing as a boon for the project.

“President Trump and his administration have consistently supported tariff and policies designed to support bringing advanced manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.,” Russell Gold, spokesman for T1 Energy, told Construction Dive. 

But Trump’s tax bill could stymie the domestic clean energy sector. It would kill the two tax credits that have most benefitted solar power investments, CNBC reported. Though some hoped the Senate would defend tax cuts for renewable energy, Monday, it revealed it proposed to end most of those breaks for wind, solar and other clean energy, the New York Times reported.

Still, the firm believes that Trump’s work has paved the way for “American energy dominance,” and that solar and storage will be a key part of that.

“We believe we’re in an electricity super-cycle and domestic solar supply is critical to meeting growing electricity demand from electrified homes, AI and advanced manufacturing,” Gold said. “Now is the time to build a domestic solar supply chain. That is our mission. We believe that policymakers and market forces will provide vital support for this mission.”