Burns & McDonnell started construction of the projects in 2021, with projects completed in different stages, of which 250MW of capacity was brought online last year.
Chad Cotter, vice president of solar construction at Burns & McDonnell, said: “Having our EPC team, self-perform crews, environmental and permitting specialists, and substation and interconnection support teams integrated with Alliant Energy and the local union halls early in the project was critical to achieving certainty in outcome and delivering on time.”
Both companies worked towards implementing environmental aspects to the projects, with three of them – Bear Creek (50MW), North Rock (50MW) and Wood County (150MW) – receiving Platinum Envision ISI verification due to their contribution to sustainable development and renewable energy. The other six sites are awaiting a final decision.
“Planting native grasses and pollinator plant species allows the sites to serve as multiuse land, fostering biodiversity and supporting Alliant Energy’s sustainability initiatives,” added Allison Chapin, environmental project manager, Burns & McDonnell.
