Solar Farm Proposal in Maverick County Could Move Forward at Former Dos Republicas Coal Partnership Coal Mine Area
By Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2026 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
Maverick County could see movement on a proposed solar farm at the former Dos Republicas Coal Partnership coal mine area, according to sources familiar with local governmental matters.
The sources indicated that the project may be entering preliminary development phases.
The proposal dates back to March 13, 2023, when Rudy Rodriguez, a former public relations representative for Dos Republicas Coal Partnership, presented the concept to the Maverick County Commissioners Court.
At that time in 2023, Rodriguez outlined the possibility of developing a solar energy farm on approximately 2,000 acres at the former coal mining site. His presentation sought to determine whether county officials would welcome continued exploration of the project.
The controversial Dos Republicas Coal Partnership coal mine ceased operations in 2020, and reclamation work followed.
During his 2023 presentation, Rodriguez explained that portions of the property remained under reclamation overseen by the Texas Railroad Commission.
Rodriguez told commissioners that the condition of the reclaimed land would affect the development timeline because soil moved during restoration needed time to settle. He also indicated that efforts to purchase the property had been underway for approximately two years before the presentation.
Those details described the proposal’s status in 2023.
The information currently available does not establish whether the 2,000 acres property purchase has been completed or whether reclamation conditions affecting the proposed solar development have been resolved and completed.
Then-County Judge Ramsey English Cantu and commissioners expressed interest in the concept and welcomed further exploration. Their reception of the proposal did not establish a construction start date or constitute confirmation that the project would be built.
The proposed development would give a different use to property associated with years of controversy over coal mining. The former operation faced community opposition, environmental concerns and legal challenges involving its operation and compliance with environmental requirements.
Rodriguez’s presentation connected the solar proposal to earlier suggestions from residents and public officials that renewable energy be considered for the area.
More than three years after that presentation, the possibility of renewed activity has brought attention back to the former mine property. Whether the original 2,000-acre concept remains intact, how much electricity the facility could generate and when development could begin remain unconfirmed.
