In 2021, Timmons Group completed the Midlands Solar project, a 72.1 MW solar farm spanning approximately 560 acres in Calhoun County, South Carolina. Our team provided civil, electrical, geotechnical, and structural engineering services, as well as survey and environmental support, to bring this project to life.
From the outset, Midlands Solar required careful coordination among multiple design disciplines, site contractors, the project owner, and other stakeholders. This collaboration was essential in balancing technical requirements, regulatory compliance, and construction realities on a site of this scale.
Civil engineering services included the layout and grading of the site, erosion control and permanent stormwater management design, and all development permitting through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and Calhoun County.
One of the most complex aspects of the civil design was ensuring that the site grading, stormwater features, and drainage structures supported not only the solar array but also long-term performance and maintenance. Internal drainage features were added to help mitigate the flow of runoff through the array, which was particularly important when the site experienced a hurricane.
On the electrical side, our engineers provided complete MV design, turnkey SCADA design, an ArcFlash study, transfer trip design, loadflow and loss studies, coordination studies, and complete HV/project substation design. In addition, our team developed as-built plans and supported solar plant and substation testing as needed.
These elements were carefully designed to ensure efficiency, safety, and resiliency of the solar farm’s electrical infrastructure.
Beyond civil and electrical systems, Timmons Group supported the project through geotechnical and structural engineering, surveying, and environmental services. Each of these pieces played a vital role in ensuring constructability and compliance.
Looking back, the success of Midlands Solar demonstrates how complex infrastructure projects rely on both technical expertise and effective collaboration. Each engineering discipline contributed to the whole, but the project only worked because of how these pieces were integrated.
Interested in working with Timmons Group’s solar array design experts? Reach out to us at info@timmons.com.
