HARLINGEN — South Korean firm Hanwha Energy Corp. is building a 242-megawatt solar power plant in southwestern Cameron County which should start commercial production next year.

Located south of La Feria, Hanwha purchased the Rayos Del Sol site from Tradewind Energy for $9 million, press reports say.

The facility will be the first commercial solar-generating site in the county. It is located in the southwest corner of the county, north of U.S. 281 and just east of Cobarrubias Road. To the north, it extends all the way to FM 3067.

Maeil Business Newspaper, South Korea’s leading business publication, reported this week that Hanwha Energy’s American subsidiary, 174 Power Global, is overseeing the project. Hanwha officials said the purchase of the site occurred last year.

The solar array will have a capacity of 242 megawatts, which is bigger than most commercial solar sites operating in the United States.

Thanks to Texas’ laissez-faire approach to regulatory oversight when it comes to alternative energy production, wind turbines have become common in South Texas, with a number of major facilities already operating in Cameron County.

The same attractive options are available to solar generating facilities, and with the cost of developing solar energy facilities dropping by about 40 percent over the last five years, state officials say they expect to see more solar energy production.

Solar facilities receive federal subsidies, and the Rayos Del Sol site also received a county subsidy as well, the county’s Commissioners Court approving it in January 2019.

“The tax abatement agreement states the company will pay the county $125,000 in lieu of property taxes,” the Associated Press reported in 2019. “Interest and sinking tax revenue will continue to be collected, and the agreement will ultimately provide a 59 percent tax abatement over the 10-year term.”

That tax abatement is expected to accompany the facility sold by Tradewind, which derives its profits from developing alternative energy sites, beginning the permit process, then selling the asset.

Hanwha Energy did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment on their investment in Rayos Del Sol.