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Developer lays out 400‑MW Pepper Hammock solar proposal, contingent on Georgia Power contract
Summary
Bright Knight presented a utility‑scale solar plan for about 2,000 acres in Wayne and Brantley counties, proposing up to 400 MW, an estimated $515 million investment, hundreds of construction jobs, and a $10 million decommissioning bond; project timing depends on a power purchase award from Georgia Power.
Greg Vanderkamf, vice president of project development for Bright Knight, told the Wayne County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 5 that his company is proposing the Pepper Hammock solar project on roughly 2,000 acres in Wayne and Brantley counties and could develop up to 400 megawatts of utility‑scale solar at the site.
"The size is up to 400 megawatts of solar," Vanderkamf said, describing the project as "utility scale" and distinguishing it from rooftop installations. He said the company has the land under long‑term lease with Rainier and has been working on the project since June 2020. Bright Knight estimated a capital investment in the area of up to $515,000,000 and projected 300–400 construction jobs with 5–7 permanent positions if the project moves forward.
Vanderkamf said the project would avoid jurisdictional wetlands and has been developed with input from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. "We actually created what's known as a partnership agreement with them where we're gonna be preserving and protecting habitat for gopher tortoise and eastern indigo snake outside of the solar panels itself," he said. He added the company has completed numerous studies, including environmental site assessments, wetland delineations and cultural resource reviews, and described no "detrimental findings" to date.
The schedule Vanderkamf outlined is conditional. Bright Knight has been shortlisted in a Georgia Power request for proposals and is waiting on a power purchase agreement (PPA) award; he said Georgia Power is expected to announce final selections in late first quarter or early second quarter of 2026. If selected, he said preliminary construction could begin as early as August 2026 with panel installation and commercial operations targeted for 2029.
Vanderkamf described protections for the end of life: he said the company would post a decommissioning bond and estimated removal costs at $10,000,000 to cover removal of facilities at the end of the project's useful life. On taxes, he said the project would generate at least $11,000,000 in property taxes over its lifetime and that average annual payments would approximate $400,000, though he said payments are front‑loaded and decline over time due to depreciation.
Commissioners asked about wetlands corridors and wildlife passage; Vanderkamf said the design preserves movement corridors and that Bright Knight has coordinated with federal and state wildlife agencies. Commissioners also pressed on the single largest near‑term uncertainty: obtaining a PPA and remaining competitive on price in Georgia Power's all‑source procurement.
Next steps identified in the presentation include finalizing Brantley County permitting for transmission interconnection, securing a PPA, and, if selected, beginning site work and contractor procurement. Bright Knight offered to continue answering questions from county staff and commissioners as the project proceeds.
