First Solar Opens First Phase of $330 Million Gaffney, US South Carolina Manufacturing Facility

First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) will inaugurate the first phase of its new production facility in Gaffney, Cherokee County, South Carolina, on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

The ceremony will be live streamed on First Solar's X account beginning at 1 pm ET.

Senior Officials Expected to Attend

The inauguration ceremony will bring together a roster of federal, state, and local officials.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, US Senator Darline Graham, and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick are expected to attend, alongside State Senator Harvey Peeler, State Representatives Dennis Moss and Brian Lawson, and Gaffney Mayor Lyman D. Dawkins III.

They will join First Solar Chief Executive Officer Mark Widmar, employees, and community leaders for the event.

Facility Details and Investment Scale

The Gaffney facility represents an investment of approximately USD 330 million. It onshores the final production processes for the company's Series 6 Plus modules.

The site currently employs approximately 500 people.

Second Phase Expected by Mid-2027

The facility's second phase is expected to be completed by mid-2027. At that point, employment at the facility is forecast to rise to nearly 700 people.

The company notes in its announcement that these projections constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and cautions that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied, with risks and uncertainties detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Company Background

First Solar describes itself as America's leading PV solar technology and manufacturing company and the only US-headquartered company among the world's largest solar manufacturers.

The company's thin-film PV technology was developed at research and development labs in California and Ohio and is positioned as a competitive, high-performance, and responsibly produced alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV modules.

Media and Investor Contacts

Reuven Proença serves as First Solar Media contact, and Byron Jeffers serves as First Solar Investor Relations contact.