Ameren Illinois has broken ground on a 2.5-megawatt solar energy facility in Peoria, Illinois.
The Peoria Solar Energy Center is the third clean energy generation facility to be built and operated by Ameren Illinois.
Over the last seven years, the company has invested $112.4 million to improve the reliability of power in the Peoria Metro area, building high voltage transmission infrastructure, new substations, and implementing automation to detect outages.
The facility is being built on a 37-acre site in northwest Peoria, featuring nearly 5,000 solar panels, which will send power to Ameren Illinois’ distribution system. It is expected to produce enough electricity to power 420 homes and businesses, as well as boost the local economy.
“At a time when the demand for electricity is outpacing supply in Downstate Illinois, more energy needs to be generated and connected to the grid faster to provide reliability and cost saving benefits for our customers,” said Lenny Singh, Chairman and President of Ameren Illinois, in a statement. “Thanks to a provision in the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, the Peoria Solar Energy Center – alongside our two other solar facilities in East St. Louis – will produce clean, reliable, and equitable energy in the community, for the community.
In September 2021, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), establishing the state’s 100% clean energy goal by 2050, and a renewable energy target of 50% by 2040. CEJA enabled Ameren Illinois to develop, own, and operate three utility-scale solar facilities.
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