It is reported that Blue Ridge Power, a project, procurement, and construction subsidiary of solar developer Pine Gate Renewables in North Carolina, will lay off over 500 employees by November 18.

David Sanders, President of Blue Ridge Power, submitted two Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices to the North Carolina Department of Commerce on September 18, announcing the permanent layoffs of 169 employees at its Asheville operations and 348 employees at its Fayetteville operations.

Sanders stated in the document, "Over the past few months, the company has been affected by uncontrollable factors, including evolving regulatory and capital market conditions, which have impacted many other companies in the renewable energy sector."

The documents show that Blue Ridge Power Company sought additional financing to retain employees but failed. The company is gradually shutting down but has not ceased operations. Employees affected by layoffs have not yet been dismissed.

Pine Gate Renewables established Blue Ridge Power in the spring of 2021 as its EPC subsidiary. Blue Ridge Power will be responsible for the development, construction, and operation of utility-scale solar projects. In 2023 alone, Blue Ridge Power installed 1.15 gigawatts of solar capacity, ranking 11th on the Solar Power World 2024 Top Solar Contractors list. By the end of that year, its total installed capacity had reached 4.3 gigawatts.

Pine Gate Renewables has issued the following statement to Solar Power World:

Blue Ridge Power faced market headwinds similar to those affecting the entire renewable energy industry, forcing Pine Gate Renewables to invest significant resources in supporting the company. After evaluating numerous options to chart a course forward, Pine Gate made a difficult decision to systematically and gradually phase out Blue Ridge Power. The company will continue to assess how best to support each of its ongoing projects, including collaborating with clients to transfer these projects to other EPC suppliers. This decision in no way reflects the hard work and dedication of our valued team members, and we deeply appreciate all their contributions.