First Solar brings hundreds of jobs to Mendota

MENDOTA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hundreds of jobs are arriving in Mendota, a community that's grappled with a 50% unemployment rate at times. First Solar is bringing more than 400 jobs as part of a new solar farm on California Avenue and San Bernardino Avenue, just west of Mendota.

According to the latest labor force data the City of Mendota currently has 1,200 people who are without jobs. So 410 jobs coming to town has people there excited.

600 acres of dry, vacant farmland is finally getting some attention. First Solar- a national company based in Southern California is investing millions of dollars into the small, West Fresno County community of Mendota. The company is installing nearly one million solar panels that will create 60 megawatts of clean energy. The company will then sell the energy to PG&E.

James Cook, Director of Development for First Solar said, "These soils in particular, the land was bought and retired from farming because of the quality of the soils. So, we can actually bring a benefit of the farming. They still continue to get the water that might have been used here."

Fresno County Supervisor Phil Larson said, "Finally it's coming together. Westlands Water District is a 600,000 acre district. 200,000 of it is laying idle because of land laying fallow. And that land has to be done something with."

Zero water allocation for farmers this year pushed the Westlands Landscape to turn dry. The dusty fields meant most of Mendota's agricultural workers were without jobs. Now, the North Star Solar Project hopes to help change the dire economic situation in the community.

Mendota's Mayor, Robert Silva said, "I just came this morning from the food line and that's a very popular place right now."

Silva says 400 jobs to the Mendota area are crucial to improving the city's unemployment rate. The state's latest numbers show 27% are jobless. First Solar's project doesn't just brings jobs, it brings training.

"What happens is they train them and then we know there's three solar energy plants coming to this area," added Silva. "So, they'll work for one place and then they'll work for the other because they're already fully trained."

So what may start out as a temporary construction job installing solar panels could turn permanent.

Cook said, "We have this project and we're hoping maybe across the street we can build another project and then you might have a construction project that will essentially go on for several years at a time."

The construction jobs will go through at least next summer then there will be about 50 permanent jobs at the site. First Solar purposely tried to build the project during the winter to give farmworkers an opportunity to work during the off-season.