US independent power producer (IPP) Arevon Energy has begun construction on a 124MW solar PV project in Illinois, its first utility-scale project in the state.
The Big Muddy Solar Project, named for the river which flows through Jackson County, where the project is being built, represents around US$200 million in private investment and is contracted under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with an unnamed “American multinational technology company”.
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Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm Signal Energy will build the site, which is expected to begin commercial operations at the end of 2026. Arevon said it would turn the land beneath the solar array into a habitat for pollinators and would “protect” the soil at the site. The company also said it had donated to and supported a range of local initiatives and schemes in the Jackson County area, including education foundations, food banks and the local ambulance and fire departments.
“This facility will not only generate essential, domestically produced energy as electricity demand in the US rises dramatically, but it will also strengthen the region through tax revenue and continued community engagement,” said Kevin Smith, CEO of Arevon Energy.
Arevon has expanded its solar operations considerably in the US Midwest, particularly in Indiana. Last month it began commercial operations at its 150WM Ratts 1 and 60MW Heirloom solar PV projects in the state, the former of which is under an environmental attributes purchase agreement (EAPA) with data and social media giant Meta.
It also developed the 251MW Gibson solar project in Gibson County, Indiana on behalf of the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO).
In an interview with PV Tech Premium last year, Arevon’s COO, Justin Johnson, explained that the demand for new power on the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) grid due to the retirement of coal capacity made Indiana an attractive market for large-scale solar development.
Arevon operates over 5.5GW of solar PV and energy storage projects across the US, with around 850MW currently under construction. The company said it has closed US$4.5 billion in project financings over the last two years, most recently a US$600 million credit facility led by Wells Fargo.
