After a completing its solar farm in Chocowinity last December, O2energies, a company that develops solar power plants in the southeastern United States, has invited members of the community to take a tour of Chocowinity Solar.

Leah Jalfon, public relations manager for O2energies, said the company invited several town officials and educators to attend the “casual” tour. The attendees will be able to see how the solar farm works and also discuss the educational and business opportunities associated with solar energy.

“We haven’t been out to Beaufort County in a little while, so we want to still be engaged in the community now that it’s finished,” Jalfon said. “We don’t want to just pick up and leave.”

According to the event website, Chocowinity Solar was a $15 million project and is expected to add $3 million to the county’s tax base.

Logan Stephens, project development manager, said the overall construction process took about four months, starting in September 2014 until the site was commissioned in December. He said the solar farm is 100-percent operational, but his team hasn’t been to the site for a few months.

Today’s tour is the soonest O2energies officials were able to meet together in Chocowinity and host the event, Stephens said.

“Part of the reason we’re coming is to check in and see how everything is going,” he said.

The tour is a positive step for O2energies after it struggled to obtain a conditional use zoning permit from the Town of Chocowinity last year to build the site in a residential area bordered by Bragaw Lane, U.S. Highway 17 Business and U.S. Highway 17.

“It’s always fun to go see a solar farm in action,” Jalfon said. “We’re excited to get to Chocowinity.”