'1,900 Permanent Jobs': Italian Solar Energy Company To Build New Factory In Rogers County

A solar cell manufacturing company plans to build a new factory at the Port of Inola, in what Governor Kevin Stitt called the largest economic development deal in state history.

A U.S. subsidiary of Enel plans to build a two-million square foot factory on a 400 acre site at the Port of Inola, in Rogers County.

The state agreed to tax incentives for the company, and improvements at the Port that will help attract other businesses.

Tulsa Ports Economic Development Director Andrew Ralston said he’s already hearing interest from suppliers to the solar industry.

“We're talking about 1,000 jobs in phase one, and just over a billion dollars in capital investment to build this facility,” said Ralston, who said the second phase would add approximately 900 jobs, in addition to temporary construction jobs.

Ralston said construction was expected to begin this fall and production could start in 2024, and hiring would reach across the country.

“We know they will attract people, especially for some of the higher level jobs, engineering, research and development, a lot of those people will be imported into Oklahoma and be part of that higher level technology ecosystem,” said Ralston.

Executives with Enel credited the state tax package, and federal incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act for green energy manufacturing, as reasons they were able to invest in Oklahoma.

The entire Oklahoma Congressional delegation voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, and supports repeal of the green energy incentives in the federal budget.