PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Texas entrepreneurs are investing $1.23 billion into an offshore wind farm along the Gulf Coast.
The facility is historic because it is being built by an independently black-owned company, Diligence Offshore Services, LLC.
According to a news release from District 22 Texas Representative Christian Manuel, this offshore wind energy initiative will be powering nearly 1 million Texas homes with affordable clean energy. The energy will be channeled into Port Arthur.
This new facility that will supply the community of Port Arthur with up to 4,000 construction jobs and more than 100 permanent jobs.
"There are about 4,000 jobs that will be on the line in the regions when you talk about building a wind farm. You have 4,000 jobs and another 150 after that with the permanent jobs," Diligence Offshore Services Chairman and President Harry Crawford.
Offshore wind energy projects can create a promising economic boom for the area, the release states. It will create well paying jobs that will breathe new life into the local job market.
"Given the projects capacity to create numerous well-compensated and secure unique positions, there is a clear prospect for witnessing the rejuvenation of both social and economic aspects of Port Arthur, TX," Rep. Manuel said in the release.
Crawford told 12News that the company plans to create a wind-turbine manufacturing facility in Pleasure Island.
"Port Arthur was basically the number one place to serve the development if there were a development in the area of Galveston or Lake Charles," said Crawford.
Construction is set to start in January 2024.
"We are working with Core Engineering out of Corpus Christi, and it will take about 2 years to get this facility and have the gates open," Crawford said.
Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick told 12News that he's excited to see new opportunity coming to Port Arthur.
"I'm really happy to see a company locate in Port Arthur that is going to be supportive of this industry and am hopeful that it will create a lot of jobs," said Branick.
Once construction begins the company expects everything to be open and operational by 2026.