HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) – Sunny days may lie ahead for a rural part of Horry County.
The Horry County Council decided to move forward with plans for a new solar farm in the Bucksport community.
Developers are looking at more than 800 acres off Highway 701 to build the solar farm, which would make it one of, if not the biggest, economic drivers for Bucksport.
“On October 19, 2021, I came to this council with a question, ‘Have you forgotten our community? Are you committed to all of Horry County,’” said Kevin Mishoe, who lives in Bucksport.
Mishoe has been the voice of the Bucksport community on more than one occasion.
Mishoe says that since he made that call, the county council has dedicated millions toward improving the James Frazier community center and flood prevention on several streets in the area.
Not to mention getting a grant to help small businesses in Bucksport.
After all those major developments, the biggest may still be yet to come.
The council voted to move a plan forward for a 55-megawatt solar farm.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, that’s enough to power more than 9,000 homes.
“This project does not require any turning lanes, no traffic lights, no environmental impact,” said Orton Bellamy, a member of the Horry County Council. “The materials are silicone, which is glass.”
Santee Cooper already has a 10-acre solar farm, so the expansion will allow the solar energy to immediately convert into electricity.
Mishoe is excited to see if the farm has the “power” to keep Bucksport moving forward.
“Thank you for what you’ve done for our community,” Mishoe said. “You’ve made us proud to be an Horryite.”
The council agreed to the solar farm unanimously, which means it only has one more reading in two weeks, which tends to be more of a formality.
However, one thing the council could not agree on was the No Fireworks Zones ordinance.
After two years of working on this, it looked like some no fireworks zones would be set up tonight, but the council members couldn’t agree on the method for establishing the firework-free areas.
That will head back to the committee where they’ll try to hash it out.
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