Nashville, Tenn, Dec 04 — Nextpower (Nasdaq: NXT, formerly Nextracker), a leading provider of intelligent power generation systems for solar power plants, today announced the opening of an expanded Southeast regional hub with a new Remote Monitoring Center in Nashville, alongside a major expansion of its U.S. steel fabrication capacity in the region. The addition of a new fabrication line, operated by MSS Steel Tubes USA based in Memphis, Tennessee, will double Nextpower’s manufacturing capacity with MSS for solar tracker systems used in utility-scale power plants across the Southeast. The existing steel fabrication line at the facility currently supports 120 skilled U.S. jobs, with 150 expected as the new line ramps up.
“Since we founded Silicon Ranch in Nashville 15 years ago, we have always been motivated by the meaningful role the energy transition plays in supporting economic development, and we’re proud to have partners like Nextpower invest here in our own backyard,” said Reagan Farr, Silicon Ranch co-founder and CEO. “In our first 15 years, Silicon Ranch installed more than 4 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy capacity—one of the largest operating fleets in the United States—and we will double that figure over the next three years. Nextpower’s expansion in Tennessee helps us do so while enabling us to support additional investments in domestic manufacturing; this is what ‘unleashing American energy’ looks like.”
“The Southeast has entered a new era of energy infrastructure,” said Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextpower. “This new U.S. manufacturing line with our partner MSS not only doubles our Memphis factory production capacity for solar trackers, but it also helps our customers scale projects faster, brings new American jobs, and strengthens our supply chain. Silicon Ranch pioneered utility-scale solar in the Southeast and continues to lead the way in delivering high quality projects that serve the region’s increasing demand for electricity. Nextpower has been proud to support them for more than a decade, and together, we’re powering what’s next.”
According to the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, the Southeast added 5 GW of solar in 2024 alone, pushing total capacity to nearly 28 GW, and is on track to nearly double that total to 54 GW by 2030. Nextpower’s fabrication capacity will support utility-scale solar power plants across Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Virginia—many of which are developed, owned, and operated by Tennessee-based Silicon Ranch Corporation, one of the largest independent power producers in the country.
“We’re proud to have built a lasting and trusted partnership with Nextpower—one grounded in shared values of quality and innovation,” said António Pedro Antunes, CEO of Metalogalva Group, parent company of MSS. “Together, we’ve firmly established production capacity here in Tennessee to serve the growing demand for solar power infrastructure across the Southeastern United States. This expansion reflects our long-term commitment to American manufacturing and to powering the clean energy transition with steel that’s locally made.”
To celebrate economic growth in the Southeast and its expansion, Nextpower will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new Nashville office, featuring Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, executives from Silicon Ranch and MSS Steel Tubes, representatives from major U.S. steel suppliers, and officials from the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The event includes guided tours of Nextpower’s new Remote Monitoring Center, which connects Nashville-based engineers to Nextpower solar tracker projects around the world.
“Nextpower’s expansion is a powerful example of the innovation and economic momentum taking place across Tennessee,” said Josh Brown, President and CEO of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “This investment supports new jobs, deepens our state’s manufacturing capabilities, and positions Tennessee to remain a national leader as demand for clean energy and advanced infrastructure accelerates. We’re proud to support partners like Nextpower, MSS Steel Tubes, and Silicon Ranch as they position Tennessee at the center of America’s clean energy growth.”