Tesla Begins Site Work on $10.1 Billion Texas Solar Plant

Tesla has begun preliminary site preparation for Project Crystal Sun, a proposed $10.1 billion vertically integrated solar manufacturing complex in Fort Bend County, Texas. Located on 3,050 acres near Richmond, the facility is designed to produce silicon ingots, wafers, photovoltaic cells, and finished solar modules to decrease reliance on imported components, specifically from China.

CEO Elon Musk acknowledged the project after drone footage from November 9, 2026, showed land clearing at the site, although the company has not yet held a formal groundbreaking. The project's estimated cost is $10.116 billion, with $8.6 billion dedicated to machinery and equipment. Commercial operations are targeted to begin in the first quarter of 2029.

The development is expected to create over 9,700 permanent jobs and approximately 1,147 temporary construction positions. To ensure financial competitiveness, the project received tax incentive approvals from the Fort Bend County commissioners and the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District. The Texas State Comptroller's Office had previously made the project application public in August 2026.