We served as the engineer-procure-construct (EPC) partner for a 1,700-acre, 346-megawatt solar facility in McLean and Ford counties, Illinois, to add renewable power quickly using an existing grid interconnection.
We delivered the Gibson City Solar Project for Earthrise Energy under an EPC contract. The facility generates enough to power about 46,000 homes. By tying into an existing interconnection switchyard for an adjacent natural gas-fired peaking plant, the project avoided queue delays and accelerated service to customers.
Speed to market drove the approach. Our team self-performed construction with AZCO, our construction subsidiary, to support execution and maintain schedule momentum. The design uses terrain-following NextPower “bendy trackers” that mimic site contours. Across all 1,700 acres, grading has been limited to less than 40,000 cubic yards — a reduction of up to 90% compared to a typical project — reducing disturbance, erosion and reseeding needs. Our teams also led construction and expansion of substation capacity.
One of the toughest challenges with this project was that the facility would serve multiple power purchase agreements (PPAs). Extensive coordination among counties, townships, utilities and permitting authorities was also required throughout development and construction. This required construction of a new 34.5-/138-kV collector substation, a gen-tie connection to the existing brownfield gas peaking station, and sophisticated controls capable of coordinating multiple PPAs. To accommodate those agreements, the team engineered and installed six collection circuits extending nearly four miles, creating a uniquely complex electrical design and commissioning effort. The project also included a controls upgrade that allowed the facility to tie into existing infrastructure.
The Gibson City site also served as a testing ground for next-generation construction automation, deploying AI software from Gritt to install a portion of the solar modules on-site.
The project’s peak workforce exceeded 350 craft professionals, who successfully overcame challenging subsurface conditions and the weather challenges that come with working on solar in the Midwest.