NRG Energy, the Texas and New Jersey-based power company, is shutting down its offices in Valley Cottage and laying off 50 workers. The news comes following reports that the company plans to downsize its residential solar operation.
The company filed a WARN notice with the state Department of Labor Feb. 20, notifying the government that it would shut down its offices at 614 Corporate Way. That’s the address listed as one of three New York offices for NRG Home Solar, the company’s residential solar operation.
The move follows recent news reports that NRG was moving out of the residential solar market. According to a report in GreenTechMedia citing anonymous sources, NRG plans to exit the home solar market and lay off employees from its operations. The report notes that NRG Home Solar expanded aggressively in the market since 2014, at one point growing to the fourth largest residential solar installer in the country. But it also was losing money. The company announced 500 layoffs in May 2016 and said it would focus its business in the Northeast.
NRG, according to the GreenTechMedia report, will now only generate leads through its retail business and pass them on to third parties.
A company spokesperson on Friday declined to specify whether all layoffs at the Rockland office were tied to NRG Home Solar.
“We made some changes to our Home Solar business model to become an Energy Integrator of solar services, leveraging partners, rather than a vertically integrated solar provider,” the NRG spokesperson said in an email statement. “These notices are a part of our pivot from selling and installing rooftop solar in the area. This does not affect service to existing customers nor does it affect other businesses NRG has in the area.”
NRG also operates larger-scale solar operations, such as community solar projects and utility-scale projects, outside of the NRG Home Solar brand.
The office will close in June, according to the WARN notice.
